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PREFATORY NOTE

world. Since the Apostles, the followers of Christ Jesus have
looked for and expected his second appearing. St. Paul made this
particularly prominent in his writings to the church. That he would come
again, Jesus himself gave unmistakable testimony in his message dellvered to
the disciples on the last night of his earthly existence. Many Christians have
thought the Lord would reappear in the body of flesh that was crucified and
which did not see corruption. In due time, however, it was made clear to the
watchers that the presence of the Lord must be invisible, because he is divine,
and the Apostle Paul had clearly stated concerning him: ‘‘Whom no man
hath seen nor can see,” with the natural eye.
In 1868 Charles Taze Russell, a lad of but sixteen years, fully consecrated
to the Lord and a member of the Congregational Church and the Y. M. C. A.,
began a careful investigation of the Scriptures. His previous training had led
him practically into infidelity, because the theories advanced by the churches
with reference to the torment of the masses of mankind seemed wholly incon-
sistent with the character of a God of love.

In 1870 he was a member of a Bible class, organized solely for the careful
and prayerful investigation of the Scriptures, and by 1876 this had grown into
a congregation of Bible students to whieh he preached. In October of that
year he was elected Pastor of this class of Bible students, and he continued to
occupy that relationship to Bible students until his death, in October, 1916.

In 1876 Mr. N. H. Barbour was editing and publishing at Rochester, New
York, a sixteen-page monthly magazine under the title, ‘““‘The Herald of the Morn-
ing,’’and Pastor Russell became assistant editor of that paper that year, devoting
his time to writing and preaching the Bible truths as they were being unfolded to
him. His investigation led him to the conclusion that Jehovah has a great plan
for the salvation and blessing of mankind, and that the keynote to that plan of
salvation is the philosophy of the ransom sacrifice. In 1878, while he was yet
assistant editor of “The Herald of the Morning,” Mr. Barbour published in that
paper an article in which he erroneously treated the doctrine of the ransom
sacrifice. Infact, in that article Mr. Barbour practically repudiated the ran-
som. Pastor Russell published in the columns of the same paper his conception
of this vital doctrine of the divine plan; and the difference arising between
himself and Mr. Barbour on this question resulted in the birth of Zion’s WaTcH

Tower, the first issue appearing July, 1879; the title thereafter being changed to
THe WatcH TOWER.

T: WATCH TOWER is unique among all the publications in the

Consistent with its mission and with the great doctrines of truth it has
promulgated, Tue Watcu Tower has at all times carried the subtitle, ‘“The
Herald of Christ’s Presence.” It is the first paper ever to make announcement
of the invisible presence of our Lord and to submit the clear, Scriptural proof
to show that since 1874 he has been present, invisible to man, yet exercising his
power and doing the preliminary work among the nations and peoples of earth
preparatory to the inauguration of his kingdom of righteousness, which soon
will administer blessings to all the groaning creation.

Through its columns the features of the divine plan, as revealed, have been
ably discussed. It has made clear to Bible students such vital questions as the
ransom sacrifice, the doctrine of the atonement, the sin offering, the great
covenants, and other subjects vital to the development of Christians and to
their in-gathering during the great harvest period of the Gospel age. THE
Watcu Tower has never carried any advertisements beyond the mere announce-
ment of the publications of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, devoted
exclusively to religious purposes. It has always been supplied to the poor free
of charge to them, the expense being met by a voluntary fund contributed for
that purpose.

Prior to his death, Pastor Russell was the Editor of THe Watcu Tower,
since which time it has been edited by a committee of five Bible students, prc-
vided according to the terms of his last will and testament.

The readers of THE Watcu Tower have increased from year to year.
There has been such a great demand among its later readers for earlier issues
that it has been determined to republish the entire series, from the beginning,
in July, 1879, up to and including June, 1919, a period of forty years; and to ar-
range these in seven volumes.* We believe that this will result in a great blessing
to students of the Lord’s Word, and serve as a splendid series of reference books
to be used in connection with our Berean Bible. The publishers therefore send it
forth with a prayer that this republication may serve as a great blessing to God’s
people and as a lasting monument to the untiring energy, zeal and loving devo-
tion of Pastor Russell, the seventh and last messenger to the Gospel church.

Your servants in the Lord,

WatcuH Tower Bisite & Tract Society
Pittsburgh, Pa., July 1, 1919

*In order to reduce the bulk we have omitted some of the less interesting letters, as well as other unimpor-
tant items such as those respecting pilgrim visits, conventions, business notices and publications, but in other
respects the record is complete. We have not even excluded articles which subsequently were seen in clearer
light, but have endeavored to indicate by footnotes where the later presentations could be found.

For reference purposes we have retained the old page numbers throughout, inserting them in
parenthesis at top of each page.

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HERALD OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE.

“Watchman, What of the Night?” “The Morning Cometh."—Isaiah xxi. 11.

Vou. I

ZION’S
WATCH TOWER

HERALD OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE
Published Monthly, 101 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa.
C. T. Russet, Editor and Publisher
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

J. H. PAaTon ‘ : ; ‘ ; Almont, Mich.
W. I. Mann . ; : : : ‘ . Allegheny, Pa.
B. W. KEItrH : ; : : Dansville, N. Y.
H. B. Rice ; W. Oakland, Cal.
A. D. JonEs Pittsburgh, Pa.

In no case will the Editor be responsible for all sentiments expressed
by correspondents, nor is he to be understood as indorsing every ex-
pression in articles selected from other periodicals.

TERMS 50 Cents per Year

In Advance—Includes Postage

All communications should be addressed to “Zion’s Watcn Tower,”
as above, and drafts, money orders, etc., made payable to the Editor.

PROSPECTUS

This is the first number of the first volume of “ZIon’s
Watch Tower,” and it may not be amiss to state the object
of its publication.

That we are living “in the last days”’—‘the day of the
Lord’”—“‘the end” of the Gospel age, and consequently, in the
dawn of the “new” age, are facts not only discernible by the
close student of the Word, led by the spirit, but the outward
signs recognizable by the world bear the same testimony, and
we are desirous that the “household of faith’ be fully awake
to the fact, that—

“We are living, we are dwelling
In a grand and awful time;
In an age on ages telling
To be living is sublime.”

And not alone to help awaken, but to assist them to “put
on the whole armor of God, that they may be able to stand in
the evil day ;” and, besides all this, that giving all diligence,
they add to their faith, virtue, and to virtue, knowledge, self
control, [temperance,] brotherly kindness, charity; when, as a
result of these indwelling and flourishing graces, they shall be
God-like [godly].

But, recognizing the beauty and necessity of these adorn-
ments of the spiritual man, they fail not to recognize that the
merit toward God lies not in these moral virtues, but in Christ's
perfect sacrifice, and though adorned by all these gems of char-
acter, we could not be recognized as God’s children now, nor
permitted ever to enter His presence without the robe of Christ’s
righteousness, the “wedding garment” necessary to our par-
ticipation in “the marriage of the Lamb.”

Christians to whom an apology would be needed for directing

JULY, 1879

[3]

No. 1

———

attention to these things, should blush and be ashamed. Every-
thing desirable, hopeful and precious stands closely and ever
connected with them. They embrace nearly all the great mo-
tives to faith, watchfulness, obedience, holiness.

If God has given us a revelation, and tells us that ¢¢ is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruc-
tion in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly
furnished unto every good word and work, where do so many
Christians who profess to accept that Word of God as their
rule and guide, get liberty to ignore more than one-half of it,
thereby virtually saying it is unprofitable? When God has
given us “a sure word of prophecy whereunto we do well to
take heed,” and when “the Lord God of the holy prophets sent
His angel to show unto His servants the things which must
shortly be done,” shall those servants feel under no obligation
to seek to understand those heavenly messages?

Should they heed worldly men and a worldly church who
deem it pious and wise not to bother with these things, who
would have us put them aside as empty fables and curious sto-
ries, and strange imagery, which could only unsettle our minds
and interfere with Christian work; or shall we heed God who
declares “these sayings faithful and true’ and says: “Blessed is
he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy,
and keep the things that are written therein?” Surely He
knows what is best calculated to inspire “a zeal according to
knowledge,” and what is necessary that we “be not soon shaken
in mind,”

“To him that hath an ear to hear what the spirit saith
unto the churches,” Zion’s Watcu Tower hopes to give assis-
tance and encouragement. It is in bondage to no man, no
party and to no creed but the Bible; yet in the bonds of love
and sympathy to “all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in truth
and sincerity.” It aims to represent “the chaste virgins,” the
prospective “Bride of Christ,” and with them acknowledges
only one master and head—Christ Jesus.

As its name indicates, it aims to be the lookout from whence
matters of interest and profit may be announced to the “little
flock,” and as the “Herald of Ohrist’s Presence,” to give the
“meat in due season” to the “household of faith.”

It issues monthly, and if you desire its visit to your home,
address at once as per notice on this page. If you have a neigh-
bor or friend who you think would be interested in or bene-
fited by its instructions, you might call it to their attention;
thus preaching the Word and doing good unto all men as you
have opportunity.

The terms, fifty cents a year, (postage paid,) are moderate;
but to all interested and desirous of having it, who cannot
afford to pay, we will gladly send it free, but you must ask
that ye may receive.

IN RE “THE LAST TRUMP”

Bro. H. B. Rice, editor and publisher of The Last Trump,
has been obliged by circumstances beyond his control to sus-
pend its publication. Knowing that such a course was prob-
able, we two months ago proposed to Bro. Rice that we would
supply THe Watcn Tower to his subscribers, instead of The
Trump, up to the close of their subscriptions, and we invited
him to speak to his old subscribers, and others of the body of
Christ, through Z1on’s WatcH Tower.

He has accepted both propositions, sent the list of sub-
scribers, and in an open letter to them says, “I will endeavor to
contribute something to THe Watcu Tower every month,” &c.

As we are much crowded, we have published this letter as a
supplement, and sent it to the subseribers of The Last Trump.

(1-6)

WHY WILL THERE BE A SECOND ADVENT?

That the second coming of our Lord Jesus occupies a prom-
inent and important position in the teaching of the apostles
and prophets, as well as of Jesus himself, is a fact that can
scarcely fail to have been noticed by every Bible student. Yet,
from various causes, very many of those who profess to love
Him, and who we have reason to believe do, are not much
interested in it. A few endeavor to figure it away by applying
it to the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; others to
the destruction of Jerusalem, &c.; all apparently forgetting the
fact that in the last book of the Bible, written more than sixty
years after Pentecost, and twenty-six years after Jerusalem’s
destruction, He that was dead and is alive speaks of the event
as yet future, saying: “Behold, I come quickly, and my reward
is with me.” And the inspired John replies: “Even so, come,
Lord Jesus.”

Quite a number endeavor to satisfy themselves with the
thought that it is a spiritual coming—that when any are con-
verted, that forms a part of the coming of Christ, and that
so He continues coming until all the world is converted—then,
say they, He will have fully come.

They evidently overlook the fact that the world will not be
converted when He comes; that the Bible, our only guide on
the subject, declares that, “In the last days perilous times
shall come, for men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers
of God.” That “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and
worse, deceiving and being deceived;” and that Jesus gave
special warning to His little flock, saying: “Take heed to your-
selves lest that day come upon you unawares; for as a snare
shall it come upon all them” (not taking heed) “that dwell
upon the face of the whole earth, and they shall not escape.”

Again, we may rest assured that when Jesus said, “All the
tribes of the earth shall mourn and wail because of Him” when
they see Him coming, He did not refer to the conversion of
sinners—Do the tribes mourn and wail because of the conver-
sion of a sinner?—And if it refers, as almost all admit, to
Christ’s personal presence on the earth, it teaches that all on
earth will not love His appearing, as they certainly would do
if all were converted.

But, “If I go away, I will come again,” cannot refer to a
Spiritual coming again, because, spiritually, He never went
away, as He said, “Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end
of the world,” [age.] Therefore, Jesus taught His second PEr-
SONAL coming. The word

MILLENNIUM

signifies one thousand, and is the term used by Christian peo-
ple generally in speaking of a time future, when “the knowl-
edge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth as the waters do
the sea, and none need to say unto his neighbor, Know thou
the Lord? Ali shall know Him,” &c. The time when there
shall be no more curse; “when the wilderness shall blossom
as the rose,” and “streams break forth in the deserts,” when
“the tabernacle of God will be with men and He shall dwell
with them,” when Satan shall be restrained and righteousness
shall control. “Then nation shall not lift up sword against
nation,” “nor learn war any more;” but “they shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.”

These prophetic pictures and statements are expected to
have fulfillment some time by nearly all Christians, and they
call it the millennial age because it is said (Rev, xx, 2-6) to
be for a thousand years that Satan is bound and Christ reigns.

This far nearly all of the Church are agreed. They are
millennialists, but there are post-millennialists and pre-mil-
lennialists: post signifies after, pre, before; so the former be-
lieve Christ will come after the millennium and the latter that
He comes before it.

As these are the only views which contain sufficient truth
to make them worthy of our consideration, we shall devote
more time to them. All who believe in the second personal
coming of Christ, should be interested in knowing what the
general teaching of the Bible is on the subject. It is necessary,
however, that we come to the consideration with a child-like
mind, desirous of knowing how God has arranged the matter,
and anxious to have the teachings of His word, and ready to
lay aside our ideas and, as God’s children, take His plan.
Thus, let us inquire

WHY DOES CHRIST COME?

and examine briefly the arguments presented by both Post- and
Pre-millennialists, comparing them with the Word— and Plan
of God.

The first expect that through the efforts of the Church, the
world will be converted, and thus the millennial age intro-
duced, at the close of which the Lord will come, wind up earthly
affairs, reward believers and condemn sinners. That to con-
vert the world, bind Satan, make “the knowledge of the Lord to

(1-2)

[4]

fill the whole earth,” and “nations to learn war no more,” are
the work of the Church without JESUS, and in her present
mortal condition. When she has accomplished this great and

‘difficult taek, Jesus comes to wind it up, &c.

They ‘have much Scripture, which taken disconnectedly,
seems to favor this view. But even this, we believe, when
God’s word and plan are looked at as a whole, will be found
to favor the other view, viz., that Christ comes before the con-
version of the world; that the Church is now being tried, and
that the reward promised the overcomers is, that they shall
share in that reign: “To him that overcometh will I give to
sit with me in my throne.” Rev. iii. 21. “And they lived and
reigned with Christ a thousand years.” Rev. xx. 4.

There are two texts in particular used by our post-mil-
lennial brethren, to which we would refer: “This Gospel must
first be preached in all the world for a witness. Then shall
the end come.” They claim this to refer to the Gospel con-
verting the world before the end of the Gospel age. We pre-
millennial believers claim that witnessing to the world does
not mean converting the world, but as it reads, to witness or
testify.

This witness has already been given. In 1861, the Bible
Societies’ reports showed that the Gospel had been published
in every language of earth; not that all earth’s myriads had
received it. No; not one in a hundred of the twelve hundred
millions have ever heard of the name of Jesus. Yet it has ful-
filled the text—it has been a witness to every nation.

We understand that the object of the present witnessing is
“To take out a people for His name’—the Church—who at
Christ’s coming are united to Him, and receive His name.
Rev. iii. 12.

The second text is, “Sit thou on my right hand, until I
make thy enemies thy footstool.” The thought generally gath-
ered from this Scripture is, that in heaven God has a throne
on which He sits continually, and that when “Christ sat down
on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” He sat down also
upon the same throne. This is a misconception. The throne
of God referred to is not an ivory or golden seat, but refers
to His supreme authority and rulership, for ‘Heaven is my
throne and earth is my footstool,” and Paul says, “God hath
highly exalted Him [Christ], and given Him a name above
every name.” He hath given Him authority above every other,
next to the Father. If Christ sits upon a material throne
until His enemies are made His footstool [all subdued], then,
of course, He could not come until the millennium was fully
inaugurated. But if it means the exalting to power, it would
not interfere with His coming and subduing all things unto
Himself.

Yo illustrate: King William is on the throne of Germany,
we say, yet we do not refer to the royal bench, and as a matter
of fact, he seldom occupies it. We mean that he rules Germany.

Right hand signifies the chief place, position of excellence
or power, and the words of Jesus to Pilate agree with this
thought: “Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on
the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
Mark xiv. 62. He will be on the right hand when coming, and
remain at the right hand during the millennial age.

There are able arguments possible on both sides, yet both
are not true. We propose, therefore, to take a glance at the
general

PLAN OF SALVATION,

to see which view is in harmony with it. In so doing, we shall
find the relation and bearing of both the first and the second
comings, and know where to locate.

First, then, has God a plan? Ail must agree that He has,
although almost all are inclined to think and talk of His deal-
ings as though He were dealing by a rule of chance, and gov-
erned entirely by circumstance. No; He that would condemn
a man for building a tower without first counting the cost,
shall He build and people a universe without counting the
cost? No, brethren; “Known unto the Lord are all His ways
from the beginning.” God has a plan, a purpose, and we know
that “all His purposes shall be accomplished.” But how shall
we find that plan? It is revealed to us in His word. “Search
the Scripture,” as Paul says, “Compare Scripture with Scrip-
ture,”’ for

“God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.”

We are too much inclined to ask, What does my church say
about any question, instead of What saith the Scriptures?
Too much theology studied, and the Bible not enough. With
the thought, then, that “The Scriptures are able to make us
wise,” that “the testimonies of the Lord are sure making wise
the simple,” let us examine.

Jury, 1879

We will not here discuss the question, Why evil was per-
mitted. We take the fact which sickness, death, vice, &c.,
make so plainly and painfully evident, viz., Evil exists. Its
existence is attributed in Scripture to the devil. Evil continues
because Satan’s power is continued. It will last throughout
the present age, because “the devil is the prince [ruler] of
this world” [age]. He will continue its ruler as long as he
can, or until he is bound. He cannot be bound until a stronger
than he takes the control out of his hands.

God, of course, can control him; and of Jesus it is written,
“All power in heaven and in earth is given unto me.”

But while Christ has all power, for wise purposes He has
not made use of it, permitting evil to reign and measurably
control the world, and permitting the devil to be “prince of
this world,” or epoch. But the time is coming when “He shall
take to Himself His great power, and reign,” exalting His
Church, giving her “power over the nations,” so that instead
of, as now, being “subject to the powers that be,” she shall
“rule the nations.” But when will He thus assume control?
When the Gospel Church, “His body,” Ecclesia, is complete.
Evil is now being permitted for “the trial of your faith,” the
perfecting of the saints. This time is synchronous with the
sounding of the seventh trumpet. Rev. xi. 15. Here the mys-
tery [church] of God is finished, and “the kingdoms of this
world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His anointed”
[church]. Now, we inquire, is this transfer of authority

FROM SATAN TO CHRIST

caused by the conversion of the nations to Christ through
preaching the Gospel? We answer, No. At this time the na-
tions are not converted (vs. 18), “And the nations were angry,
and thy wrath is come.” If converted, they would not be thus
hostile, neither would God’s wrath come upon them. On the
contrary, God teaches in many Scriptures that a great time of
trouble will come upon the nations. ‘Come, behold the desola-
tions which the Lord hath made in the earth. He maketh
wars to cease unto the ends of the earth.” This is the way
Giod tells us He will make wars to cease. The next clause in-
forms us that then He “will be exalted among the heathen and
in all the earth.” This chastisement of nations will be for
their good, and is necessary to them as is the chastisement
which God now inflicts upon His children, and it will have a
good effect, for “When the judgments of the Lord are abroad
in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteous-
ness.” It is in this new dispensation that, with evil restrained
—Satan bound—the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole
earth, as the waters do the sea. The conversion of the world,
instead of being due now while “the devil is the prince of this
world,” will, David says, be “When the kingdom is the Lord’s
and He is the Governor among the nations, all the ends of
the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and the king-
doms of the nations shall come and worship before Him.”

During the infancy of the human family—say from Adam
to Moses—-God treated his creatures like very young children.
So far as we know, they had very little knowledge of their
Creator’s power or character. They had scarcely any revela-
tion, the exception being the few cases where God favored spe-
cial persons, as Abraham, Lot, &c., communicating to them by
angels, giving to Abraham and Eve peculiar promises, which
they could only vaguely comprehend.

The next age was to the Jewish nation a schooling season,
during which God taught them to respect His promises and
laws. ‘They were yet minors, under age, therefore not treated
as children, but kept under the law, their schoolmaster, Gal. iv.

While the Word of God was being written and committed
to the Jews for keeping, &c., the remainder of the world seems
to have been left in the darkness of heathenism. They bowed
down to wood and stone, destitute of truth as they are today.

In Scripture the period from Adam to the flood is called
“the world [age] that was.” From the flood to the second
coming of the Lord. “the world [age] that now is,’ and “the
present evil world,” [age], and the next is called “the world
to come.”

“The present evil world” contains three

SEPARATE AGES.

The Patriarchal, lasting from the flood to the death of Jacob;
the Jewish age, lasting from the death of Jacob until the death
of Christ, when He gave them up, wept over them, and said:
“Your house is left unto you desolate ;” the Gospel age, lasting
from the resurrection of Christ, when He became “the first-
born from the dead, and the beginning of the new creation,”
until the full company of “the Church of the First-born”’ is
complete, and IIe comes. The time of the sounding of the
seventh trumpet, the resurrection and reward of prophets,
saints, &c. Rev. xi. 16.

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(2-7)

We know not how many ages may be in “the world to
come ;” but that there is more than one, we are sure, for Paul
speaks of “the ages to come.” Eph. ii. 7. The first of these
alone is dealt with in Scripture, the millennial age, during
which we live and reign with Christ a thousand years. Rev.
xx. 4.

Having got an outline, let us look more particularly at
God’s doings and sayings, and, first, it will astonish you, doubt-
less, until you reflect, when I say, that according to His word,
God has not exhausted His resources for the world’s salvation;
that, in short, He is not now trying to save the world, nor has
he been during past ages. What has He been doing? “Taking
out a people—Church—for His name.” Don’t think this won-
derful, as it is only putting in a striking form what all Cal-
vinists believe, among whom are Baptists, Presbyterians and
others, viz., that God is now electing, or choosing His Church
out of the world. Yes, and all our brethren who believe in
free grace must admit, that if ‘all His purposes shall be
accomplished,” and “God’s Word shall accomplish the thing
whereto it was sent,” if these Scriptures are true, God did
not purpose the conversion of the world during the past six
thousand years, else it would be accomplished. Neither did
He send His word to convert the world up to the present time,
else it did not prosper in the thing whereto He sent it. These
two views have been a dividing point in the churches for cen-
turies, viz.:

ELECTION VS. FREE GRACE.

We believe the Scripture to teach both, but that it requires
the observance of ‘‘Heaven’s first law,” order, to rightly divide
the word of truth on this subject.

First we will glance at Election. During the age preced-
ing the deluge, there is no Scriptural account of God giving
mankind any law, and very little light of revelation. One
promise shines out, “The Seed of the Woman to Bruise the
Serpent,” and even this required future revelation in order to
be comprehended. God had, however, a few patriarchs or serv-
ants who had light above the masses, as Jamp-posts in a dark
way.

The Patriarchal age had increase of light. It is now re-
vealed that this seed is not only to crush evil [serpent], but
to “bless all the families of the earth.” Still God’s Churcli i-
represented by one man, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, &e., &c.

These patriarchs were elected—chosen. “God called Abra-
ham, and said,” &c. Abraham, and not his kin, was called.
His parents were idolators. He had “many sons and daugh-
ters,” but only one is chosen. “In Isaac shall thy seed be
called.” Of Isaac’s two sons, only one was chosen. “As it is
written,” says Paul, Rom. 8, 11 and 12, “Jacob have I loved,
but Esau have I hated” (loved less). God chose before they
were born, “that the purpose of God according to election
might stand.” Now, remember, I do not say that God elected
one to go to heaven and the other to hell. No; far from it.
That is the common misconception of the Scriptural, and when
properly understood, beautiful doctrine of Election.

At Jacob’s death another advance step in God’s plan is
taken, and typical or fleshly Israel is formed. From this time
one man no longer represents God in the world; but a nation,
all the sons of Jacob and their posterity. And now we have
an elect nation or church, and God gives all His special bless-
ings to it. Other and larger nations—EKgypt, Chaldea, &¢.—
are passed by, left without light and without knowledge, while
these are given to Israel. “What advantage, then, hath the
Jew? Much, every way, chiefly because to them were com-
mitted the oracles (laws and testimonies) of God. This is
Paul’s statement. God speaking to them, says: “You only
have I known of all the families of the earth.” This people
alone was recognized, and thus continued until Christ came.
Yes; and after it.

During Christ’s ministry He preached to them, and would
not suffer His disciples to do otherwise, saying as He sends them
out, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any city
of the Samaritans enter ye not.” Why so, Lord? “T am not
sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” <All his
time was devoted to them until death, and here was His first
work for the world, and

GOD’S GRANDEST GIFT,

not for Israel only, but for all, for “Jesus Christ, by the grace
of God, tasted death for every man.” And now, also, in the
Gospel age, a certain sort of election obtains. Some parts of
the world are more favored with the Gospel (which is free to
all who hear) than others. Contrast vourself with your privi-
leges and knowledge, with the heathen man who never yet
heard the call. When this called-out company, (called to be
“sons of God,” “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ

[5]

(7) ZION’S

our Lord,’’) is complete, then the plan of God for the world’s
salvation is only beginning. Not until then will the seed “bruise
the serpent’s head,” and “bless all the families of the earth.”
For the seed is not Christ, the head, alone, but the Church,
which is His body, as Paul informs us, Gal. iii. 29, “Which
seed is Christ; and if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s
seed and heirs according to the promise.” The same company
are to bruise the serpent. Rom. xvi. 20. The very God of
Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

THE GOSPEL AGE

The Gospel age makes ready the chaste virgin (church)
for the coming Bridegroom. When ready, the Bridegroom
comes, and they that are ready are united. The second Adam
and the second Eve become one, and are thus the beginning of
the new creation, and then the glorious work of elevating man-
kind in general begins. The river of living water flows, and the
work of the Church begins. In the next dispensation, new
heavens and new earth. She is no longer the espoused Virgin,
but the Bride. THEN “the Spirit and the Bride say come, and
whosoever will Jet him come and drink of the water of life
freely.”

As Adam, the beginning of the fleshly race, was composed
of man and the helpmeet taken from his side, as it is written,
“Male and female created He them and He called their name
ADAM,” Gen. v. 12, so the “Second Adam,” of whom Paul says
the first “was a figure,” or type, has a helpmeet taken from
His side, and when she is fully formed and perfected, the
Bridegroom comes and they go in to the marriage; they become
one, “the new creation of God” (read Eph. v. 25, 30, 32), mak-
ing in Himself of twain (Jews and Gentiles)

‘‘ONE NEW MAN.’’

(Eph. ii. 15.) This new man we have found to be the seed
“to crush the serpent’s head.” “The seed of Abraham,” “in
whom all the families of the earth shall be blest.” That the
Gospel age, so far from closing the Church’s mission, was only
a school of affliction to enable her, as well as her head, to
be touched with a feeling of earth’s infirmities, that they
might sympathize with mankind, and during the millennial
age assist them, when “the knowledge of the Lord shall fill
the whole earth,” scattering the darkness of sin and ignorance,
causing ‘‘wars to cease unto the ends of the earth.” These
are the “times of restitution,” which Peter says are due when
Christ comes. Acts iii. 17-19. For this “the whole creation
groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, waiting
for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Rom. vili. 22, 19.
These sons are not now manifest. There are in Christ’s flock
many ‘‘wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Among the wheat there
are many tares; but when in “the harvest” (“the end of the
age’), they are separated, then shall the righteous shine forth
as the sun in the kingdom of their Father—be manifested—
and then to the groaning creation (mankind) shall this “Sun
of Righteousness arise, with healing in His wings.”

But let us leave this bright and pleasant picture of the
com‘ng day, of which, with the poet, we could say:

“Haste thee along, ages of glory,
Haste the glad time when Christ appears,”

and turning, look at a dark picture. Have you ever asked
yourself, while rejoicing in the glorious opportunities to be
offered to mankind during the millennial age—What about
those who have died before the plan of God has thus reached
its fullness? There have lived on earth since creation (six
thousand years), about one hundred and forty-three billions
of human beings. Of these the very broadest estimate that
could be made with reason would be, that less than one billion
were Saints of God—the Church—the Bride. What of the
one hundred and forty-two billions who died out of Christ?
What is their condition?

Atheism answers: They are eternally dead. There is no
hereafter. They will never live again.

Calvinism answers: They were not elected to be saved. God
foreordained and predestined them to be lost—to go to hell—
and they are there now, writhing in agony, where they will
ever remain without hope.

Arminianism answers: We believe that God excuses them
on account of ignorance, and that if they did the best they
knew how, they will be as sure of being a part of the “Church
of the First-born” as is Paul himself.

To this last view the great majority of Christians of all
denominations hold, from a feeling that any other view would
be irreconcilable with justice, on God’s part.

But, we inquire, what do the Scriptures teach on this last
point? That ignorance is a ground of salvation? No; the
only condition known in Scripture is Fairu. “By grace are ye

WATCH TOWER

PirTsBuRGH, PA.

saved, through FaITu.” Justification by faith is the ground-
rock of the whole system of Christianity. When, by the jailor
at Philippi, Paul was asked, “What must I do to be
saved?” he answered, “‘T elieve on the Lord Jesus Christ and be
baptized, and thou shalt be saved.”

Peter says, Acts iv. 12, “There is none other name under
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,” than the
name of Jesus.

Paul reasons that a man must hear the Gospel before he can
believe: “How shall they believe on Him of whom they have
not heard?” This—God’s plan—that men shall be saved on
account of faith, Paul says was to the Jews a stumbling block
(because they expected salvation as a reward of keeping the
law) and to the Greeks (the worldly wise) foolishness. But,
nevertheless, it has “pleased God by the foolishness (in the
eyes of men) of preaching to save

THEM WHICH BELIEVE.’’

I want to Scripturally close you in to the thought, that all
who have not heard could not believe, and not believing, could
not be a part of the Bride of Christ. But, you object, Paul,
in the first two chapters of Romans, teaches “that these having
not the law are a law unto themselves,” and that this law
which their conscience furnishes, is sufficient to justify them.
No, I answer, you understand Paul differently from what he
intended. Paul’s argument everywhere is, that “all the world is
guilty before God.” “For if I had not known the law, I had
not known sin. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.”” The
law given to the Jew revealed his weakness, and was intended
to show him that he was unable to justify himself before God.
“For by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His
(God’s) sight.” As the law thus condemned the Jews, so Paul
says it is with the Gentiles also. Though ignorant of the law,
they had light enough of conscience to condemn them. ‘That
every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God,” Rom. iii. 19, in order that eternal life may
be seen to be “the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord,”
to every one that believeth.

Well, you answer, the Bible to the contrary, I believe and
insist that God won’t damn the world for ignorance. Now,
let us see. Do you practice what you declare? Why do you
assist in sending missionaries to the heathen, at a cost of
thousands of valuable lives and millions of money? If they
will all be saved—or even half of them—through ignorance,
you do them a positive injury in sending a preacher to tell
them of Christ, for we know that only about one in a thousand
believes when the missionary does go to them. If your idea be
correct it were far better that no missionaries should ever be
sent. Before, nearly all saved; now, because of knowledge,
nearly ell lost. In the same way we might reason, that if God
had left all in ignorance, we would all have been saved. Then,
instead of the Gospel being good news, it would be more prop-
erly named bad news.

No, my brethren; you do believe that “there is no other
name given whereby we must be saved.” Your actions speak
the louder, and speak rightly.

Now, suppose we look at these things just as God tells us
of them, and leave the clearing of His character to Himself.

WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE 142 BILLIONS?

First, we answer, that you may be sure they are not now
in hell suffering; because not only do the scriptures teach that
full and complete reward is not given to the Church until
Christ comes, “when he shall reward every man,” but the un-
just are to receive their deserts then also. Whatever may be
their present condition, it cannot be their full reward, for
Peter says: “God knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the
day of judgment to be punished,” and He will do so. But the
thought of so many of our fellow creatures at any time being
lost, without having had the knowledge which is necessary to
salvation, seems terrible, indeed, to all who have a spark of
love or pity. Then, too, there are a number of Scriptures
which seem hard to harmonize with all this. Let us see in the
light of His dealings how shall we understand the statement,
“God is Love,’ or ‘God so loved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not
perish.”

Ah, Lord, it seems to poor, frail humanity that if you loved
the world so much, you might have made provision, not only
that believers might be saved, but also that all might hear.

Again we read: “This is the true light that lighteth every
man that cometh into the world.” Lord, all our reason seems
to say, not so. We cannot see how Jesus lighted more than a
few of earth’s billions. Yonder Hottentot gives no evidence of
having been so enlightened, neither did the Sodomites and my-
riads of others.

[6]

JuLy, 1879

Once more we read: “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God,
tasted death for every man.” How, Lord? we ask, If he
tasted death for the one hundred and forty-three billions, and
from other causes it becomes efficacious only to one billion,
is not his death comparatively a failure?

Again: “Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people.” Surely it is to but a little flock to
whom it has been glad tidings, and not to all people.

Another- is: ‘“‘There is one God, and one Mediator between
God and man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for
all.” A ransom, then why should not all have some benefit
from Christ’s death?

Oh, how dark, how inconsistent do these statements appear
when we remember that the Gospel Church is “a little flock.”
Oh, how we wish it would please God to open our eyes that
we might understand the Scriptures, for we feel sure that did
we but understand, it must all seem clear, it must all declare
in thunder tone, “God is Love.” Oh, that we had the key!
Do you want it?—Are you sure you do? It is the last text
we quoted, “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified
in due time.” Due time. Ah, now we see. God has a due time
for everything. He could have testified it to this one hundred
and forty-two billions in their life time. Then that would
have been their due time; as it was not so, their due time must
be future. We know that now is our due time, because it is
testified to us now. Christ was a ransom for you before you
were born, but it was not due time for you to hear it until
years after. So with the Hottentot; Christ was his ransom
and at the same time was yours; he has not heard it yet,
and may not in this life; but in God’s due time he will.

But does not death end probation? one inquires. There
is no scripture which says so, we answer, and all the above and
many more scriptures would be meaningless or worse,

IF DEATH ENDS ALL

to the ignorant masses of the world. The only scripture ever
quoted to prove this generally entertained view, is, “As the
tree falleth, so it lies.” If this has any relation to man and
his future, it indicates that in whatever condition of knowledge
or ignorance he enters death, he remains the same until he is
raised up again.

But can knowledge ever reach these billions in their graves
while dead? No; God has provided for the resurrection of
them all. For “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all
be made alive.” As death came by the first Adam, so life comes
by the second Adam. Everything that mankind lost in the
first, is to be restored in the second. Hence, the age following
Christ’s second coming is spoken of as “the times of restitution.”

Life is one of the things lost, and is to be one of the things
restored. Mark me! I do not say eternal life is given them.
No; Adam never had eternal life to lose; if he had it, he could
not have died. He had natural life, lost natural life, and it is
to be natural life that the second Adam restores. This is a
certain sort of salvation that Christ accomplishes for all; but
the eternal salvation, which believers receive, is entirely differ-
ent. This enables us to use another text, which is little used
except by Universalists, and although not Universalists, yet we
claim the right to use all Scripture. It reads: “We trust in
the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of
them which believe.” All men are saved or rescued from the
loss entailed on them through Adam, by having all those lost
things, including natural life, restored to them. He is also
the “especial Saviour of them which believe.” For believers
who now constitute the body of Christ are the happy recipients
of the gift of God, eternal life. While those of the world are
raised natural bodies, those of the Church are raised spiritual
bodies, “neither can they die any more, but are like the angels
of God.”

Now we see that “the testimony in due time” explains all
of those troublous texts. In due time it shall be “glad tidings
of great joy to all people.” In due time that “True Light shall
lighten every man that cometh into the world,” and in no other
way can these scriptures be used without wresting. We take
them to mean just what they say. Paul carries out the line
of argument with emphasis in Rom. v. 18, 19. He reasons that
as all men were condemned to death and suffered it because of
Adam’s transgression, so also Christ’s righteousness justifies
all to life again. Ali lost life, not of our own will or choice,
in the first Adam; all receive life at the hands of the second
Adam, equally without their will or choice.

When thus brought to life, and the love of God testified to
them, their probation,

THEIR FIRST OHANOE,

begins, for we do not preach a second chance for any.
But Peter tells us, that “the restitution is spoken of by the

[7]

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(7-8)

mouth of all the holy prophets.” They do all teach it. Ezekiel
tells us of the valley of dry bones, “This is the whole house of
Israe]l;” and God says to them, “I will bring you up out of
your graves, and bring you into your own land.” This agrees
with St. Paul, Rom. vi. 25, 26. Blindness in part is happened
to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles (the Gospel Church,
the elect company “taken out of the Gentiles”) be come in,
and so all Israel shall be saved, or brought back from their
cast-off condition. For “God hath not cast off His people whom
He foreknew.” They were cut off from His favor while the
bride of Ohrist was being selected, but will return to favor
when that work is accomplished.—Vs. 28 to 33. The prophets
are full of statements of how God will “plant them again, and
they shall be no more plucked up.” This does not refer to
restorations from former captivities in Babylon, Syria, &c., for
the Lord says, “In that day it shall no more be a proverb
among you ‘the fathers ate a sour grape and the children’s
teeth are set on edge;’ but every man shal! die for his own sin.”
This is not the case now. You do not die for your own sin,
but for Adam’s—‘As in Adam all die.” He ate the sour grape,
and our forefathers continued to eat them, entailing further
sickness and misery upon us. The day in which “every man
shall die for his own sin,” is this Millennial or Restitution day.
But when restored to the same conditions as Adam, will they
not be as hiable to sin and fall again as he was? No; they
will be liable, but not as liable; they have learned in their
time the lesson which God designed to teach to all, viz., ‘The
exceeding sinfulness of sin.” They will be prepared to appreci-
ate the good and shun the evil, and the Gospel Church then
glorified will be, “the kings (rulers) and priests” (teachers)
of that new age, for “Unto the angels hath He not put in sub-
jection the word (age) to come, whereof we speak,” &c. Then
through “the second Adam” and His helpmeet they may be
begotten into their spiritual likeness.

But are we sure that God intends these blessings for any
but the “people whom He foreknew” (the Jews)? Yes. He
mentions other nations also by name, and speaks of their resti-
tution. Let me give you an illustration that will be forcible:

THE SODOMITES.

Surely if we find their restitution mentioned you will be sat-
isfied. But why should they not have an opportunity to obtain
eternal life as well as you or the Jew? ‘They were not wicked
in the proper sense, for they did not have law or much knowl-
edge. True, they were not righteous, but neither were you
when God gave you your opportunity. Christ’s own words
shall tell us that they are not as guilty in His sight as the
Jews, who had more knowledge: “Woe unto thee, Capernaum,
for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been
done in Sodom it would have remained unto this day.” Thus
Christ’s own words teach us that they had not had their full
opportunity. “Remember,” Christ says of the Sodomites, that
“God-~ rained down fire and destroyed them all.” So, if their
restoration is spoken of, it implies their resurrection.

Let us look at the prophecy, Ezek. xvi. 48 to the close. Read
it carefully. God here speaks of Israel and compares her with
her neighbor, Samaria, and also with the Sodomites, whom He
says, “Il took away as I saw good.” Why did God see good to
take away these people without giving them a chance of eternal
life through the knowledge of “the only name?” Because it
was not their due time. They will come to a knowledge of
the truth when restored. He’ll save them from death’s bond-
age first, and then give them knowledge. As it is written: “God
will have all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of
the truth.” When brought to the knowledge, then, and not
until then, are they on trial for eternal life. With this
thought, and with no other, can we understand the dealings
of the God of love with those Amalekites and other nations.
whom He not only permitted, but commanded Israel to butcher.
“Slay Amalek utterly—leave neither man, woman or child.”
“Spare not the little ones.” How often my heart has ached.
and yours, too, as we sought to reconcile this apparent wan-
tonness on God’s part with the teachings of the new dispensa-
tion. “God is love,” “Love your enemies,” &c. Now we can see
that the entire Jewish age was a type of the higher, Gospel
age; Israel’s victories and conquests merely pictures of the
Christian’s battles with sin, etc. These Amalekites and Sod-
omites and others were used to illustrate, or to be “examples”
“for our admonition ;” and these people might just as well die
so, a8 of disease and plague, and it mattered little to them as
they were merely learning to know evil, that when on trial,
“in due time,’ they might learn good and be able to discrimi-
nate and choose life.

But let us read the prophecy further. After comparing
Israel with Sodom and Samaria, and pronouncing her worse,
v. 53 says: “When I bring again the captivity [in death, all

(8-3)

are captives and Christ came to ‘set at liberty the captives
and to open the prison doors’ of the grave,] of Sodom and
Samaria, then will I bring thy captives in the midst of them.”
(These will be raised together.) In v. 55 this is called “a
return to

THEIR FORMER ESTATE”’

-—restitution. But some one, who cannot imagine that God
really could be so good or just, suggests God must be speaking
ironically to the Jews, and saying He would just as soon bring
back the Sodomites as them, but has no notion of either. Let
us see. Read vs. 61-62. Nevertheless “J will remember my
covenant with thee; I will establish it to thee.” “Yes,” says
Paul, “this is God’s covenant with them—they are beloved for
the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and callings of God are without
repentance.” Rom. xi. 27-29. The 63d verse concludes the
argument, showing that the promised restitution is not based
on the merits of the Jews, Samaritans or Sodomites. “That
thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy
mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified
toward thee, for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.”
When God signs his name to a statement in this way I must be-
lieve it. “Saith the Lord God.” And no wonder if they are con-
founded when ‘in the ages to come He shows forth the exceed-
ing riches of His grace,” (Eph. ii. 7), and many of God’s
children will be confounded and amazed also when they see
how “God so loved THE WORLD.” They will be ready to exclaim
with brother Paul: “Oh the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judg-
ments, and his ways past finding out!”

But some will inquire, How comes it that this has not been
seen long ago? We answer, God gives light and knowledge to
his people just as it is due. The world was left in almost
entire ignorance of God’s plan until the Gospel age, when Christ
came, bringing life and immortality To LicHT through the Gos-
pel. The Jews up to that time supposed that all the promises
of God were to and for them alone, but in due time God showed
favor to the Gentiles also. Christians generally have supposed
that God’s blessings are to the church, but we begin to see that
God is better than all our fears, and though he has given us
the “exceeding great and precious promises,’ He has made
some to the world also.

“The path of the just is as a shining light that shineth
more and more, until the perfect day,” and the fact that it
now shines so brightly, and that we are able to see more of
the beauty and harmony of God’s word, is strong presumptive
evidence that we are in the dawn of that glorious millennial
day, when “we shall know even as we are known.”

But we promised to harmonize those doctrines of the Church
generally supposed to be antipodes, viz., CALVINISM, or Elec-
tion, and ARMINTANISM, or Free Grace. Perhaps you already
see how they harmonize themselves by simply recognizing the
order of the ages and applying each text to the place and time
to which it belongs. Let me then point out to you

INCONSISTENCY OF EITHER CALVINISM OR ARMINIANISM

when separated from each other. In doing so I do not wish
to reflect on those who hold these doctrines. I shall merely
call your attention to features which their warmest advocates
must confess to be their weak points.

First—Calvinism says: God is all-wise. He knew the end
from the beginning, and, as “all his purposes shall be accom-
plished,” He never could have intended to save any but a few—
the true Church, the little flock. ‘These He elected and pre-
destined to be eternally saved; all others were equally predes-
tined and elected to go to hell, for “known unto the Lord are
all His works from the foundation of the world.”

This has its good features. It shows, and properly, God’s
Omniscience. This would be our ideal of a GREAT God, were it
not that three essential qualities of greatness, viz., MErcy,
Love and JUSTICE, are lacking, for none of these qualities find
place in bringing into the world one hundred and forty-two
billions of creatures damned before they were born and mocked

“WHAT IS

This question 1s one which every sincere Christian should
ask and seek to answer. We should learn to love and value
truth for its own sake; to respect and honor it by owning and
acknowledging it wherever we find it and by whomsoever pre-
sented. A truih presented by Satan himself is just as true
as a truth stated by God.

Perhaps nv class of people are more apt to overlook this
fact than the Christian. How often do they in controversy
overlook and ignore t:uth presented by their opponents. This
is particularly the case when arguing with an infidel. They

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PittssurcH, Pa.

by protestations of love.
just ;” “God is merciful.”

Second—Arminianism says: Yes, “God is love,” and in
bringing humanity into the world He meant them no harm,
only good. But Satan succeeded in tempting Adam; thus “sin
entered into the world and death by sin,” and ever since, God
has been doing all He can to deliver man from his enemy, even
to the giving of His Son, and though now, six thousand years
after, the gospel has only reached a very small portion of
those creatures, yet, we do hope and trust that within six
thousand years more, through the energy and liberality of the
Church, God will have so far remedied the evil introduced by
Satan, that all may at least know of His love, and knowl-
edge of God be co-extensive with the knowledge of evil.

The commendable feature of this view is, that it accepts
the statement that “Cod is love.” But, while full of loving and
benevolent designs for His creatures, He lacks ability and fore-
knowledge adequate to the accomplishment of those designs.

While God was busy arranging and devising for the good
of His newly created children, Satan slipped in, and by one
stroke upset all God’s plans, and in one moment brought sin
and evil among men to such an extent that even by exhausting
all His power, God must spend twelve thousand years to even
reinstate righteousness to such a degree that man will have an
opportunity to choose Good as readily as Evil, and the one
hundred and forty-two billions of the past six thousand years,
and as many more of the next, are lost to all eternity, in spite
of God’s love for them, because Satan interfered with His plans
as God had not foreseen. Thus Satan, in spite of God, gets
one hundred into hell to one God gets to glory. This view must
exalt men’s ideas of Satan, and lower their estimation of Him
who “Spake, and it was done; commanded, and it stood fast.”

But how refreshing it is for us to turn from these fragments
of truth, as separately considered, and

SEE HOW HARMONIOUS

and beautiful they are when united. How, during the present
and past ages God is electing or gathering, by the preaching
of His word, the Gospel church. How He wisely permitted
evil to come into the world, in order that He might develop
His chureh, which, thus “being made perfect through suffer-
ing,” might be prepared for her glorious work in the future;
and how the mass of mankind, though not now on probation,
are nevertheless getting a knowledge and experience by contact
with sin which He foresaw they would be the better for; and,
furthermore, how he took occasion, in connection with this,
His plan, to show us His great love, by so arranging that the
death of Christ was necessary to our recovery from sin, and
then freely giving Him “to be a propitiation for our sins, and
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,”
and then in the next dispensation—“The new heavens and
earth” (Rev. xxi. 1-9-10 and xxii. 17)—-when “the Spirit and
the Bride say come, and whosoever will may come and take of
the water of life freely.” He will show us His “Free Grace”
in fullest measure.

Is not this the teaching of God’s Word? Men never would
have thought of such a glorious plan of salvation. Truly God
has said: “My ways are not your ways, nor my thoughts your
thoughts.” Hereafter when we address Him “Our Father,”
may it call to our mind that His love and compassion are far
greater than the pity of our earthly parents, and while we
study His Word more and more, and seek to “grow in grace
and in the knowledge and love of God,” let us ever remember
that

No, no. “od is love;’ “God is

“Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And sean His work in vain.
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.”

Having seen how much of the great plan of God waits the
coming of Christ for its accomplishment, and having, we trust,
found why Christ comes, can we help loving His appearing?
In our next we hope to examine with you what the Bible
teaches of How Christ Comes.

TRUTH?”

feel at perfect liberty to dispute everything he says on religious
subjects. This is not the correct principle. Many infidels are
honest—as anxious to speak and believe the truth as are Chris-
tians—and if in converse with them we ignore truths which
they may advance, we not only fail to convince them of our
truths, but put an end to all hope of reaching them; for our
failure to admit the evident truth which they advance begets
in them contempt for the one who is not honest enough to
admit one truth because he does not see how it can be recon-
ciled to another. Accept truth wherever you find it, no matter

[8]

Jury, 1879

what it contradicts, and rely for ability to afterwards harmo-
nize it with others upon “the Spirit of truth, which shall guide
you into all truth,” as Jesus promised.

Truth, like a modest little flower in the wilderness of life,
is surrounded and almost choked by the luxuriant growth of
the weeds of error. If you would find it you must be ever on the
lookout. If you would see its beauty you must brush aside
the weeds of error and the brambles of bigotry. If you would
possess it you must stoop to get it.

HE SEATS HER ON

ZION’S WATCH TOWER (3)

Be not content with one flower of truth. Had one been
sufficient there would have been no more. Gather ever, serk
for more.

Weave them together as a garland—‘Bind them on thee as
a bride doeth.” “Bind them about thy neck; write them upon
the table of thine heart; so shalt thou find favor and good
understanding in the sight of God and man.” ae 3.

HIS THRONE

“Leaning upon her Beloved.”—Songs of Solomon, viii. 5

Upon her loved One leaning ;
For thus the Bride appears,

The wilderness behind her,
With all its sighs and fears.

For Him in hope she waited
And loving tears she wept,
E’en in the darksome shadows,
She watched while others slept.

She knew He would be faithful,
And in His Word she read,

That He was coming quickly,
She trusted what He said.

Ofttimes His precious promise
She told to those around,

To some it seemed good tidings,
To others empty sound.

Now, as the King of Glory,
He claims her as His own;
With hand for her once pierced,
He seats her on His throne.
M. R. J., Princeton, N. J.

“GOD IS LOVE”

This is the grand expression of the Bible—the keynote of
Christianity. 1t is the foundation of the great plan of creation
and redemption, and the underlying principle in the structure
of the Word of God.

It is truth, the truth, as God is true, the embodiment of all
other truths; so that whatever, rightly understood, is not in
harmony with it must be false. “God is love,” eternal and
unchangeable. All that He has done or will do can but express
His infinite fullness. All His attributes are moved and con-
trolled by love.

“God is love.” Many feel, as a result of education, that
God hates them, but that Christ loves them; others believe
that Christ purchased the Father’s love. Both are answered
by Christ’s words: “God so loved the world that he gave his
Son,” &e. John iii. 16. Christ’s work is not to purchase the
Father’s love, but to manifest it. Practically, if not as theo-
logians teach, Christ’s words are true: “I and my Father are
one”’—one in purpose and in work.

Christ prayed to the Father that the disciples might be
one, “even as we are one.” “As thou, Father, art in me and
I in thee, that they may be one in us,” &c. John xvil. 21. He
could thus be called “Immanuel—God with us.” “Without
controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was man-
ifest in the flesh.” 1 Tim. iii. 16. God gave his Son. The
Son “gave himself for us.” Truly they are in harmony. The
love of the infinite God could neither be created nor purchased,
but it could be shown. This is one part of the work of the Son
of God—to reveal the Father. To reveal his love is to reveal
himself, for “God is love.” Without Christ or out of Christ
God cannot be known. The Father does not reveal the Son, but
the Son reveals the Father, “For no man knoweth who the
Son is but the Father, and no man knoweth the Father but
the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” No theo-
logian need attempt an explanation of the Divine Sonship of
our Lord. “But it pleased the Father that in Christ should
all fullness dwell,”—“All fullness of the Godhead bodily.”—
Col. i. 19, and ii. 9. He is the Word, the Truth, the personal
embodiment of all that is good and true, and emphatically the
Revelation of God. “The Word was with God and the Word
was God.” “The Word was made flesh.” He took our nature,
the “form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”
Phil. ii. 7. He of whom it was said, “Let all the angels of God
worship him,” [that must include Michael,] and “Thy throne,
O God, is forever and ever,” (Heb. i. 6, 8), “left the glory
he had with the Father before the foundation of the world;”
“made himself of no reputation;” “was made a little lower
than the angels;” “for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, should taste
death for every man.” Heb. ii. 9.

Great condescension! Glorious love! Whose love? Both
the Father’s and the Son’s, but primarily the Father’s. “God
so loved that he gave.” The love caused the gift. “God com-
mendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.” Rom. v. 8. “And all things are of God,
who hath reconciled us to himself, by Jesus Christ, and hath
given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit: that God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them,” &c. 2 Cor. vs. 18, 19. The hymn
line, “My God is reconciled,” has well been changed, ‘To God
I’m reconciled.” It is man that is out of order—away from
home—and God is in Christ to win the wanderer back. God
hates sin, but loves the man. One reason why He hates sin is
because he loves the man, and sin destroys man’s happiness
and if persisted in will destroy the man himself. “Thou hast
destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help found,” saith the Lord.
“The grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men hath ap-
peared.” Grace is love and favor. God in Christ brings salva-
tion to all men absolutely, so far as relates to the recovery of
what was lost in Adam. ‘Who will have all men to be saved.”
“As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Thus, “We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of aLr
MEN, specially of them that believe.” 1 Tim. iv. 10.

He has not only redeemed man from what was lost in Adam,
but has made higher attainments possible, brought salvation
near, within reach of all men, and is the “author of cfernal
salvation to them that obey him.” Heb. v. 9. He not only
“rave Himself a ransom (to buy man back from death) for all."
but it is “to be testified in due time.” 1 Tim. ii. 6. Tle not
only “will have all men to be saved” (from the Adamic penal-
ty), but will also have them “come to the knowledge of the
truth.” Ver. 4. Thus. and in “due time” He is the “true
light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
John i. 9. All who have died without the true light. will be
enlightened in future, and the words of the angel will be veri-
fied: “Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy. which
shall be to all people.” Luke ii. 10.

The salvation from death is secured to all by the Ransom:
the salvation from sin is made possible to all bv the light. and
all this is the Father’s arrangement, through the Son, who is
constituted Redeemer, and also the “Head’——“‘Firstborn” of a
new race. He restores the old to all, and imparts the new
to as many as receive and obey the truth.

How true it is, that: “He that Joveth not, knoweth not
God, for God is love.” 1 John iv. 8. “Love is of God.” Ver.
1. “In this was manifested the love of God towards us. be-
cause that God sent his only begotten Son into the world. that
we might live through him,” (the Son.) (Ver. 9.) “Herein
is love, .... that He loved us,” &c. (Ver. 10.) “We love

[9]

(3—4)

him, because he first loved us.” (Ver. 19.) In view of so much
testimony, who can doubt the Father’s love, or believe that it
was purchased by Christ’s death? Christ’s death meets a ne-
cessity of man in relation to man’s forfeited life; hence He
purchased man, and not God. God arranged it as a grand ea-
hibition of His love for man. “Ye are bought with a price,

CHRIST'S

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PirtspuRGH, Pa.

therefore glorify God,” &c. ‘Thanks be unto God for his un-

speakable gift.” We love the Giver and we love the Gift.

“Whom having not seen, we love.” Who can refrain from join-

ing the grand chorus of the angels: “Glory to God in the high-

est, and on earth, peace, good will toward men?” Luke, ii. 14.
J. H. P.

PERSONAL RETURN

By A LUTHERAN MINISTER

To attempt to prove that the Son of Man will really and
personally come again to this world, may seem quite super-
fluous. It is a doctrine which orthodox Christians universally
admit; and yet, perhaps, there is not another article of Chris-
tian faith so coldly and indefinitely apprehended. Few men em-
brace it as a reality. Few men lay hold of it as an efficacious
truth. People deny it not, but neither do they feel it. They
have so much preoccupied their minds with imaginary, figura-
tive comings of the Saviour, in providence, in His Spirit, in His
Word, and in His Church, that His only real coming has well
nigh become obsolete—a dead letter.

It no longer comes upon the heart and conscience with its
awakening and commanding power. We recite it, and sing it;
but we do not effectually receive it. It is in our creed, but it
cannot be said to be of our faith. If we entertain it at all, it is

at a great distance off. It cannot, therefore, be a matter of
small importance for us to review our position and to en-
deavor to ascertain where we stand in regard to this great
doctrine.

If we have been unconsciously saying to ourselves, “The
Lord delayeth his coming,” it is time that we should wake up
to the fact, lest that day should come upon us unawares. Christ
bids us “Watch, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son
of Man cometh.” ‘The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief
in the night.” ‘As a snare shall it come on all them that
dwell on the face of the whole earth.” And amid the tremen-
dous heavings of society in our day, we are most solemnly ad-
monished to Jook well to our hearts, and keep close to the
directions of our Lord.

THREE WORLDS

The past, present and future of the family of man are all
included in the “Three Worlds.” The world that was before
the flood, the world that now is, and the world to come.

The Greek word “Kosmos,” translated world, as above, re-
lates to the order or state of things, and does not refer to the
literal earth, as some suppose. The same word is often used
when the people are meant, as “God so loved the world ;” “Be-
hold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world ;”
“The tield is the world” (Christ does not sow the good seed in
the ground—mankind is His field of operation) ; “He is the
propitiation for the sins of the whole world.” Kosmos is thus
used for the general “order” of things, or for the people, but
we have yet to learn that the word is ever translated earth,
or has that meaning. The nearest to it, perhaps, is when Peter
speaks of these three conditions as three distinct “heavens and
earth.” 2 Peter iii. The first “perished” (came to an end),
the second is “reserved unto fire,’ and will end also, but the
third, or “new heavens and new earth,” is the “world without
end.”

These three exist in the order of succession as above, no
two at the same time, and the same planet, Earth, is the basis
of all three.

The change at the flood was not so much physica] as dis-
pensational. The administration of God was changed, but the
earth, with its “mountains” and consequent valleys, still re-
mained. “The waters prevailed and all the high hills were
covered.” Gen. vii. 19. The ark rose above the mountains,
carried on the face of the waters, and when the waters abated
“the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.” Gen. viil. 4.
The waters rose and fell, but there was apparently no change
in the form of the earth itself. The trees seem to have re-
mained in place, for had they been floating, the dove might
have found a place “for the sole of her foot” (Ver. 9), and
“an olive leave plucked off” would have been no evidence that
the waters were abating (Ver. 11).

A few of these simple things well noted, might help to dis-
pel some of the exaggerated expectations of many as to physi-
eal changes in the “new heavens and earth” promised. “New”
does not necessarily mean absolute perfection.

The first “order” is called “the old world,” 2 Peter ii. 5.
Then “This present evil world” must have been new at first.
As the second “waxes old” and passes away, another new one
comes on, “Wherein dwelleth righteousness.” It has been
thought by some that it must therefore be absolutely free from
sin from the very first. This is an evil world, but there is some
good in it, and when Satan is bound—limited—chained—it will
be reversed. Righteousness will be the rule and sin the excep-
tion. ‘The sinner being an hundred years old, shall be ac-
cursed.” Isa. Ixv. 20. Sin and death go hand in hand, and
neither shall be destroyed until the end of the thousand years:
“The Jast enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor. xv. 26.

These three worlds are the basis of the Bible plan of salva-
tion, and may therefore serve as a means of explaining the

Word in reference to the plan. If a statement of the Word
belongs to any one of these worlds, it wil! be a perversion to
apply it to another, or to what lies outside of them altogether.

To get tne true import of anything revealed by the Spirit
of God must be important, in order that the designed effect
may be realized. Without an outline of the plan, it is not
surprising that men have failed to “rightly divide the word of
truth.” If it be remembered that the “world to come” is not
the “spirit world,” or state of the departed in any sense, but
a future state that does not begin until the second, or “present
evil world,” ends, many Scriptures will be plain. “Ye shall
be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” The resurrec-
tion is at the last trump (1 Cor. xv.) during which time Christ
comes, and the reward is given to “prophets, saints, and them
that fear God’s name, small and great.” Rev. xi. 15-18. The
rewurd is “eternal life” to them who seek for it “by patient
continuance in well-doing”’ (Rom. ii. 7), and Jesus says, “in
the world to come eternal life.” This division of the Word, by
the plan of the ages gives an intensity of interest in the coming
of our Lord, for whatever man’s state in death may be, it is
clear that our reward is not due till he comes at the beginning
of the world to come. Man does not go to it, but it comes to
us. Those who died in the world before the flood did not thus
reach the present world, which was then future, so neither
can men reach the world to come by dying. Living or dead,
we must wait for that period to come before we can be in it, as
we wait from one day to another, and when the new period or
day has come, those who have not died will be in the world to
come as well as those who are raised from the dead, just as
Noah passed from the old world into the new, having escaped
death. It does not militate against this idea, that the saints
are to enter upon a higher state than the nations, being raised
in the “spiritual body,” and made equal to the angels at the
beginning of that world. The heavenly state of the saints, as
the “Bride, the Lamb’s Wife,” and the earthly state of the
nations, as the “blessed of the Lord,” are facts of the world
to come and in harmony with each other. If the saints are
to rule the nations as promised, the nations must be there to
be ruled. There are high and low, heavens and earth, in the
future as well as in the past. In this present evil world, the
angels—unseen, yet real persons—have a great deal of power,
as “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation.” Heb. i. 14. “But unto the angels
hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we
speak, but... . what is man, that thou art mindful of him?’

is world is subject to the angels, but the future world is
made subject to glorified man, Jesus being the head of the glo-
rified body. The above proves that angels are not glorified men,
and also that man will supersede the angels in administration
of God’s benefits to man in the flesh.

An understanding of much of God’s Word is made easier
by first having a “bird’s-eye view” of the plan as shown by
the “Three Worlds.” J. H. P.

[10]

GOD’S “LITTLE WHILE”

Because of the shortness of human life, we act quickly
ourselves and expect others to act so, and we can scarcely
avoid carrying the same thought with us when we go to the
investigation of God’s Word.

We read—“Yet a little while, and He that shall come, will
come.” We think, as we look back at the eighteen centuries
which have elapsed since his first advent, that it is not a “little
while.’ No, to us it is a long while. Our ideas of long and
short periods are drawn from our experience, When you were
a child you thought as a child; you impatiently looked at an
hour as a long time, and a year seemed an age if it intervened
between you and some coveted object or enjoyment. Since you
have grown to manhood or womanhood years are short; how
quickly they fly. Your plans and arrangements reach out and
embrace numbers of them.

We see then that a long time and a “little while” are ac-
commodative terms, to be understood in harmony with the
standpoint of the one using them. When Paul used these
words he was God’s mouthpiece, therefore the word is God’s—
and it is from Hig standpoint, in whose sight “a thousand
years are but as yesterday,” and “as a watch in the night.”
If we remember that He is from everlasting to everlasting,
eighteen hundred years are but “a little while” to Him. In
His sight it is only “a little while” since He created Adam.

Let us not be so impatient; there is plenty of time in
eternity.

If we can get this standpoint of time—God’s standpoint—
it will assist us to see how “God is not slack concerning His
promises.” When God promised Eve that her seed should
bruise the serpent’s head, she doubtless supposed that God’s
promise had failed when one of her sons was slain and the
other had become a branded murderer; and when Seth was
born, as his name indicates, she thought him the promised
seed. She came to die, and yet saw not God’s promise fulfilled.
Ages rolled on, floods came and went, Moses and Israel read
the promise, but saw no fulfillment. Had it failed? No, four
thousand years after, Jesus appeared on earth, suffered, died,
arose, ascended. Was the promise fulfilled? No, only in part.
Satan’s head (vital part) is not yet crushed, he rears it higher
than ever; his contro] is greater perhaps than ever before.
Does God’s promise mean less than it says? No, give Him more
time; it is only “a little while’ since He promised, and “tn the
time” it will all be fulfilled. Because He saw that we would
wonder whether He is “slack concerning His promises;” and
because Jesus counts us His friends, (“I have called you
friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have
made known unto you.” Jno. xv. 15,) therefore He kindly
gives us through Paul, a clue as to how and when this promise
will be fulfilled. Rom. xvi. 20, reads: “The God of peace shall
bruise Satan under your feet shortly.”

This is the same promise made to Eve, and though Christ
had died, Paul well knew that Satan was not yet bruised.

But God has not forgotten His promise; He will reform,
but when? “Shortly.” Ah, God’s “little while” again. But
why say under your feet? What had the Christians at Rome
to do with bruising Satan? Had God’s Word not said the
seed should do it? And was not Christ this seed? Yes, Jesus
is the head over this seed, but we are members of the body
under this head, as we read: “The God of our Lord Jesus
Christ .... gave Him to be the head over all things to the
Church, which is His body.” Eph. i. 17-22. He is the head,
that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. Col. i. 18.

Satan was permitted to bruise Jesus, the head. “He was
bruised for our iniquity.” He was made perfect through suf-
fering,” and we, the members of the body, must suffer with
Him if we would be made perfect—must “fill up the measure
of the sufferings of Christ.” The Head suffered most, but we
must be sharers of the suffering, if we would be glorified to-

ether.

: Therefore, “count it all joy” and “think it not strange con-
cerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some
strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as
ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when (“a little
while,” “shortly”) His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad,
also, with exceeding joy.” 1 Pet. iv. 13. Yes, we shall share
in the “glory that shall follow,” and part of that glory shall
be to crush the serpent. Now he bruises our heel (ours are
not vital wounds, they will all heal). We shall crush his head
(a vital part, indicating the utter extinction of evil—when
death shall be destroyed, and “him that hath the power of
death, that is the devil”). As this has required time for its
accomplishment, so have almost all the promises of God. Take

THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM.

God had promised and sworn to Abraham, that his seed
should be as the sand of the sea—innumerable—and Abraham
believed it; but as years rolled on he and Sarah thought it a

(4-5)

long time. They were getting old, and yet had no child. Finally
to help God to fulfill his promise, (how many Christians want
to FORCE @ construction on prophecy, in order to help God out
of a dilemma and help Him to fulfill His word. Wait;

“God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.”

Yes, they would help God to keep His word,) and as Sarah was
too old, her maid must bear the promised seed. This was a
human way to fulfill, but God waited fifteen years until they
were both old, so that both Abraham and Sarah laughed when
they were told that they should yet have a son Isaac. “After
I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’
But the answer was: “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At
the time APPOINTED .... Sarah shall have a son.”
O, that we could learn—

“It may not be my time,
It may not be thy time,
And yet in His own time
The Lord will perform.”

Ages have rolled around, yet the seed of Abraham, although
a nation and partially possessing Canaan for a time, have never
yet had those promises to Abraham FULFILLED.

“TI will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy
seed after thee.” “And I will give unto thee and to thy seed
after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, ali the land
of Canaan for an everlasting possession.”

But Paul shows us how that there was a deeper meaning
than the surface promise couched in the utterances of God to
the seed of Abraham. Not only the fleshly children but the
children of faith have a share.

“Now, to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.
He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one. ‘And
to thy seed’—which is Christ.” .... And if ye be Christ’s
(if you have been “baptised into Christ, put on Christ,” be-
come “members of His body,”) then (and only then, no other
way,) are ye Abraham’s SEED and HEIRS; according to prom-
ise.” Gal, ili. 16 and 29.

Here again we realize that God’s “little while” is to man a
great while; but surely and steadily the members of the body
of Christ are being developed, and in due time they will be
united to their Head, and with Him glorified—constituting in
the complete sense “the seed”’—and then, never fully until then,
can it be true of Abraham and his seed:—“In thee shall all
nations be blessed.” (Gal. iii. 8.) Then “A king shall reign
in righteousness, and princes sha}] rule in judgment”—[Christ,
our Head, the King, and we joint heirs with HimJ—and under
that righteous reign and rule “all the families of the earth
shall be blessed,” for then “the knowledge of the Lord shall
fill the whole earth.” But there are

PROMISES TO THE NATURAL SEED,

as well as to the spiritual, they never have and do not now
possess Canaan as an “everlasting possession.” The prophets
tell us that “the Lord shall yet choose Jerusalem.” Zech. i. 17.
“T will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem;” it “shall be called
a city of truth.” “The streets of the city shall be full of boys
and girls playing.” “If it be marvelous in the eyes of the rem-
nant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous
in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts.” Zech. viii. 3-6. “At
that time ....I1 shall bring again the captivity of Judah
and Jerusalem.” “Then shal] Jerusalem be holy.” Joel iii. 1-17.

James shows that these promises lacked a fulfillment, Acts
xv. 16, after showing the object of the Gospel age to be the
taking out of the Gentiles a people for His name—the Church
—His body, the seed. After recounting this, James says: “To
this agree the words of the prophets, [or this is in harmony
with prophecy.”] As it is written, ‘After this’ [after the seed
is taken from among the Gentiles,} ‘I will return, and will
build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down, and
I will build again the ruins thereof.” Yes, God has good
things in reserve for his ancient people, and as Paul says,
though they were “blinded” and “cut off” from the first posi-
tion of heirs of those promises, yet “God hath not cast away
His people whom He foreknew. For I would not, brethren,
that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be
wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened
to Israel.” How long, Paul? Until the fullness of the Gentiles
be come in. [That is, until the entire Church, which James
says God is taking out of the Gentiles, have all been taken out,
and gathered into full sonship, as the seed of promise.) And,
if they are blinded only until that time, it is evident that at
that time the blindness will be removed. But Paul continues,
“and so all Israel shall be saved,” [not saved eternally as in-
dividuals, but saved—rescued—nationally brought back to
power and grandeur]. But Paul goes to the prophets as his

[11]

Jury, 1879

authority, “as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the
Deliverer, [the seed, head and body] and shall turn away un-
godliness from Jacob, [{fleshly Israel,] for this is my covenant
with them.” Paul then gives us his reasons for speaking so
confidently, “For the gifts and calling of God are without re-
pentance.” God’s giving us the “high calling,” and the prom-
ises on the higher plane, does not interfere with or hinder His
keeping His promise to the fleshly seed, but all the more guar-
antees it.

Then he explains how it is we, who were once Gentiles, had
God’s merey and truth revealed to us when and because nat-
ural Israel was blinded; so we obtained mercy through their
unbelief; so “these have not believed that through your mercy
they also may obtain mercy.” ‘Through whose mercy? Yours,
the Churech’s. When the Church is all taken out and glorified,
she is with Christ, her head, to mercifully and justly rule the
world, and then Israel shall obtain your mercy. Rom. ii. 2-25.

O, that we could realize that every promise of God 1s sure,

THE ROYAL

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises
of Him who hath called you out of darkness unto His marvel-
ous light.” 1 Pet. ii. 9.

“Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in
His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God
and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and
ever.” Rev. 1. 5, 6.

“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and
we shall reign on the earth.” Rev. v. 10.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrec-
tion: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a
thousand years.” Rev. xx. 6.

The above scriptures clearly teach that a part, at least, of
our work in the future will be to officiate as the priests of God.
As the work of a priest is one of intercession and of instruction
in righteousness, they as clearly prove that the glorious work
of evangelization will go on, not only after the first resurrec-
tion has taken place, but even all through the “age of the
ages.” The fact that these offices of “king” and “priest” will
exist, logically implies that there will be subjects to rule and
learners to teach; otherwise the names would be meaningless
and the titles an empty sound.

It is held by some, that the reign of the saints will consist
of a very brief “reign of terror,” during which—with Christ
at their head-—they will trample their enemies into the dust
and utterly destroy them. We thank our dear Lord for a
better hope. Our work will not be one of destruction, but of
salvation. We shall rule as kings, even with a rod of iron;
but the grand object will be to humble the nations, and so fit
them for the reception of truth. “For, when thy judgments
are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn right-
cousness.” Isa, xxvi. 9.

What a blessed prospect! what a glorious calling! A
royal priesthood!

Who that is imbued with the spirit of the Master; who
that has but tasted that the Lord is gracious, could desire
more agreeable employment than to show forth the praises of
our Saviour King to those sitting in darkness? to bind up the
hroken-hearted? to proclaim liberty to the captive? to give
beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning ?—

“To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love.”

To fit us for such an exalted and responsible position we
require a peculiar training, and we feel warranted in claiming
that the trials, temptations and discipline of this present life
are for that very purpose. °

Many a struggling believer, trying hard to overcome, buf-
feted by the enemy, tried by friends, weighed down by heredi-
tary weaknesses in self, discouraged and faint, has cried out,
from the depths of a loving heart: “Why, O! why this suffer-
ing? why this severe chastisement?” Let us glance for a mo-
ment at the pathway trod by the bleeding feet of the Master—
our forerunner—and we shall find the answer.

“So, also, Christ glorified not Himself to be made a high
priest; but He that said unto Him, Thou art my Son.....

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

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in His own due time, it would give us childlike trust and con-
fidence for everything, and not to accept them as all sure is to
make God a liar.

Paul, as he looked forward and realized how in due time
every jot and tittle should be fulfilled, and saw the greatness
and majesty of God’s plan, breaks forth in ecstasy and ex-
claims, “O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God!” “Who hath known the mind of the Lord?”
[Who knew that God’s plan was so comprehensive and full.]
And our hearts can say, Amen.

God knows the end from the beginning, and looking at the
great clock of the ages, declares to us that the things we so
much desire, shall be “shortly,” “‘yet a little while.” Let us
look at things from his standpoint, and so

“Tet the little while between
In its golden light be seen.”

PRIESTHOOD

Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers
and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that
was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He
feared: Though He were a Son, yet learned he obedience by
the things which He had suffered, and being made perfect, He
became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey
Him.” Heb. v. 5-9.

“For it became Him, for whom are all things, in bringing
many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings. Wherefore in all things it behoov-
eth Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be
a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in
that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to
succor them that are tempted.” Heb. ii. 10, 17-13.

“For we have not a High Priest who cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points
tenfpted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come
boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. iv. 15, 16.

The reason, then, that the Church is called on to fill up
that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ is, that all the
body, in like manner to the Head, may be trained to perfect
sympathy and to perfect obedience through suffering. In this
present time, we in all our troubles come to our compassionate
High Priest with boldness, realizing that He, having been par-
taker of flesh and blood, can truly feel for us and pity us, so,
in the age to come, we, the promised seed of Abraham, through
whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed, (compare
Gen. xii. 3; Gal. iii. 14, 16, 20;) shall go forth a royal priest-
hood, according to the order of Melchisedec, fully prepared to
sympathize with the nations, to lead them to the paths of
righteousness, and to encourage them in the way of life.

Shall we shrink then from our cross? Shall we seek to
put away the bitter cup that is sometimes pressed to our lips?
Surely not. ’Tis a loving hand that presents it, ’tis a loving
heart (infinitely loving) that sees the need of it. No! It is
but the Master fitting us for His work; training us for the
priesthood; teaching us to rule ourselves that we may know
how to rule others; opening our eyes to the weakness of our
own fiesh, that we may have patience with those over whom we
are given authority. (Luke xix. 17, 19.)

Courage, then, my Christian brother or sister, seeking with
weary step to run the narrow way. Heed not the rugged
course; it is all hallowed and sanctified by the blessed feet of
the Master. Count every thorn a flower; every sharp rock a
milestone, hurrying you onward to the goal. Let every advanc-
ing step be a “Nearer to Thee:” every hillock in the road an
“upward toward heaven.” Keep your eye fixed on the prize.
Soon—very soon—you may wear the Crown.

“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we
shall also live with him ; if we suffer, we shall reign with Him.”

The consecrated cross I’ll bear,
Till self it bears from me;
When Jesus calls, the crown I’ll wear
For Him who set me free.
W. I. M.

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THE BLOOD

The more enlightened we become in regard to God’s plan
of the ages, the more fully we can understand the wonderful
love of God manifested in the gift of Jesus Christ. God does
nothing without a reason, and only as we understand the rea-
son can we rightly value what He does. So we come nearer
to the true estimate of the blood of Christ as we understand
my Hy shed His blood and the nature of the results to be ob-
ained.

Man not only became a sinner by disobedience, but he lost
his life also. As through one man sin entered the world (in
whom all sinned), and through sin, death, so also death passed
upon all men. Romans v. 12. If he remained in that condi-
tion, God’s object in creating man to attain finally to His
own image would prove a failure.

As there was no law that could give life, it seems that noth-
ing less than the death of Christ could place man where he
could strive for the higher life.

He said of himself, “This is my flesh which I give for the
life of the world.” Besides, we being yet helpless, Christ at
the proper time died in behalf of the ungodly. Now, scarcely
on behalf of a just person will any one die, though, possibly,
on behalf of the good some one might venture to die. But God
recommends His own love to us, because we being yet sinners,
Christ died on our behalf. By much Mors, then, having been
now justified by His blood, we shall through Him be saved
from wrath. Romans v. 6-9. So Paul could say, “Take heed,
therefore, unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the
Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of
God, which He hath purchased with the blood of His own.”
Acts xx. 28. They were sold under sin, but bought with a price.
“What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not
your own? For ye are all bought with a price. Therefore
glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.

Bought, redeemed and ransomed seem to be used in the
same sense, and by the use of these terms we are frequently
reminded that we are not our own, but belong to one who has
the right to command and require implicit obedience; but as
He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, in all manner
of conversation, in all your conduct, because it is written, Be
ye holy, for I am holy, and if ye call on the Father, who, with-
out respect of persons, judges according to every man’s work,
pass the time of your sojourning in fear; forasmuch as ye
know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as
silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as
of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter i.
15-19.

For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy
blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,
and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall
reign on the earth. Rev. v. 9, 10.

We are taught to serve one another, and whosoever will be
chief among you, let him be your servant, even as the Son of
Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to
give his life a ransom for many. Matt. xx. 27, 28.

Vou. I

AUGUST, 1879

OF CHRIST

He gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due
time. 1 Tim. 2, 5.

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will re-
deem them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues; O
grave, I will be thy destruction. Hosea xiii. 14.

But this is not all. We have this precious invitation: Come
now and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isa. i. 18. Tf
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John i. 9.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in
darkness, we speak falsely and perform not the truth; but if
we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship
with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us
from all sin. 1 John vi. 7.

It is a singular fact that if a scarlet or crimson object is
viewed through a red glass in the light, it appears white; so,
though our sins be as scarlet or crimson, when we come where
God will view them through the blood of Christ, they are ac-
counted as white. Though we have no righteousness of our
own, our faith is accounted unto us for righteousness. Where-
fore, remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the
flesh, .... that at that time ye were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from
the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God—
Godless—in the world; but now, in Christ Jesus, ye who some-
oa were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. ph.
ii. 11-13.

But Christ being made a high priest of good things to
come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with
hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood
of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered once
into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. For
if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprin-
kling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how
much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge, cleanse your
ae Ne a from dead works to serve the living God. Heb.
ix, 11-14.

Therefore, by works of law no human being shall be justified
in His presence, for through the law there is an acknowledg-
ment of sin; but now apart from law, God’s righteousness has
been made manifest, being attested by the law and the prophets,
even God’s righteousness through the faith of Christ, to all
who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His
favor, through that redemption which is by Christ Jesus, whom
God has set forth to be a mercy seat by His own blood through
the faith, for an exhibition of His righteousness in passing by
the sins frequently committed during the forbearance of God,
and for an exhibition of His righteousness at the present time,
in order that He may be righteous while justifying him who
is of the faith of Jesus, Where, then, is boasting? It is shut
out. Through what law?—of works? No; but by the law of
faith. Rom. iii. 20. (Emphatie Diaglott)

WHY EVIL WAS PERMITTED

A DIALOGUE

B. There are many beautiful truths taught in the Bible,
which commend themselves to my better judgment, and if I
could only have my mind clear on some points, I would gladly
accept the whole. It seems, too, that there must be some way
out of my difficulties, if I could only find it; for surely the
book is stamped with a wisdom higher than human, and my
difficulty must arise from a failure to comprehend it more
fully.

A Well, my brother, it gives me great pleasure to meet
with an honest inquirer after truth. You are anxious, then,
to find the connecting links in the great chain which binds the
interests of humanity to the throne of God. We believe that
all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and that the
Spirit will guide us into all truth. If it should please Him to
use me as His mouthpiece, it will be a great privilege. Will
you please state one of those points, and when that is made
clear, we shall be glad to hear of others?

B. One of these questions is, Why was evil permitted? If
God is infinite in power, wisdom and goodness, why did He
permit His fair creation to be so marred by sin? After creat-
ing our first parents perfect and upright, why did He permit
Satan to present the temptation? Or why allow the forbidden

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tree to have a place among the good? Could He not have pre-
vented all possibility of man’s overthrow?

A. I see just where your difficulty lies, and I think I can
make it very plain to you. It pleased God for the joy it gives
Him to dispense his goodness, and to exercise the attributes
of His glorious being to create various orders of intelligent be-
ings. Some He has endowed with greater capacity than others;
but each He made perfectly adapted to his sphere and destiny.
We are acquainted with many forms of life in our world, and
doubtless many others exist of which we know nothing yet:
but above all others, stands man, the masterpiece of God’s
workmanship, endowed with reason and intelligence superior to
all others, and given the dominion over all. He was made
upright and perfect; God pronounced him “very good.” He
also made him (Adam) free in the exercise of all his powers—-
physical, mental and moral—and though these powers were
all perfect in their measure, yet they were each capable of
large development. Now, had evil never been agi before him,
he could not have resisted it, and, consequently, there would be
no virtue nor merit in his doing right. I presume I need
scarcely remark here, that not the fruit of the tree, but the
act of disobedience caused man’s fall.

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(1-7)

B. But could not God have made man unchangeably per-
fect?

A. No; to have done so would have been to make another
God. Unchangeableness is an attribute only of an infallible,
infinite being—God. He who cannot err must, of necessity, be
all-wise, all-powerful and, consequently, eternal—a God and
yet a creature—a supposition as absurd as impossible.

B. I had never thought of it so.

A. If an intelligent creature is to be made at all, he must
be made liable to change; and, as he was created pure, any
change must be from purity to sin. He could not even know
the meaning of good unless he had evil to contrast with it.
He could not be reckoned as obedient to God, unless a tempta-
tion to disobedience were presented, and such an evil made pos-
sible.

B. But could not God, with whom we are told “all things
are possible,” have interfered in season to prevent the full ac-
complishment of Satan’s designs?

A. You say, “All things are possible with God.” I trust
you remember that it is all possible things that are possible
with him. “It is impossible for God to lie.” Heb. vi. 18. “He
cannot deny himself.” 2 Tim. ii. 13. He cannot do wrong.
He cannot choose any but the wisest and best plan for intro-
ducing His creatures into life; and we should bear in mind,
that the fact of God’s not interfering with the introduction
and development of sin is one of the very strongest of reasons
for believing that evil is necessary, and designed ultimately to
work good.

C. Bro. A, may I interrupt you here to ask, why, if it
was proper and wise that Adam should have a trial] under the
most favorable circumstances, as a perfect man, should not all
his posterity have a similarly favorable trial? We all know
that we are born with both mental and physical ailments and
imperfections. Why did not God give us all as good a chance
as Adam?

A. If you or I had been in Adam’s place, we would have
done just as he did. Remember, he had known God only a
little while. He found himself alive; perhaps God told him
He was his Creator, had a right to command his obedience, and
to threaten and inflict punishment, for disobedience. But what
did Adam know about the matter? Here was another being at
his side who contradicted God, telling him that he would not
die from eating the fruit; that God was jealous, because eat-
ing of this fruit would make him a god also. Then the
tempter exemplified his teaching by eating of it himself, and
man saw that he was the wisest of creatures. Can you wonder
that they ate? No; as a reasoning being he could scarcely
have done otherwise.

C. But he should have remembered the penalty—what a
terrible price he must pay for his disobedience—the wretched-
ness and death which would follow. If I were so placed, I
think I should make more effort to withstand the tempter.

A. Wait, Bro. C.; you forget that Adam, up to this time,
was totally unacquainted with wretchedness and death. He
could not know what wretchedness meant; he never had been
wretched. He did not know what dying meant; he never had
died, nor seen any creature die, for death did not enter the
world until after his disobedience (Rom. vy. 12), and if you or
I had been there, controlled by an unbiased judgment, we
would have done just as Adam did. The reason you think
you could withstand better is, that you have had experience
with evil and have learned in a measure, what Adam up to
that time had not learned in the smallest degree, viz., to know
good from evil.

C. O! I see. Then it is because we would have done just
as Adam did that God is justified in counting us all sinners,
that “by the one man’s disobedience, the many were made sin-
ners,” and “by the offence of one, all were condemned” (Rom.
v. 18, 19). and so “the wages of sin (death) passed upon all,”
and through or “in Adam all die.”

B. Do I understand you to say that God does evil that
good may come?

A. By no means. God did no evil, and He permitted it
only because it was necessary that His creatures should know
good from evil; that by being made acquainted with sin and its
consequences—sickness, misery and death—they might learn
“the exceeding sinfulness of sin,” and having tasted that the
bitter “wages of sin is death,” they might be prepared to
choose life and live.

B. But did not God implant in His creature that very
thirst for knowledge which led him to an act of disobedience
in order to gratify it? Does it not seem, too, that He wanted
him to become acquainted with evil, and if so, why should
He attach a penalty to the sinful act, knowing that a knowl-
edge of evil could be obtained in no other way?

‘A. We can see readily that a knowledge of evil could be

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PirtspurGH, Pa.

obtained in no way except by its introduction; and remember,
Adam could not have disobeyed if God had given no com-
mandmert, and every command must have a penalty attached
to give it force. Therefore, I claim that God not only foresaw
man’s fall into sin, but designed it. It was a part of His plan.
God permitted, nay, wanted man to fall; and why? Because,
having the remedy provided for his release from its conse-
quences, He saw that the result would be to lead man to a
knowledge, through experience, which would enable him to see
the bitterness and blackness of sin—‘the exceeding sinfulness
of sin,” and the matchless brilliancy of virtue in contrast with
it; thus teaching him the more to love and honor his Creator,
who is the fountain and source of all goodness, and to forever
shun that which brought so much woe and misery. So the
final result is greater love to God, and greater hatred of all
that is opposed to Him. The best armament against tempta-
tion is knowledge.

Your reasoning is clear, forcible and would seem to
me plausible were it not that this experience and knowledge
come too late to benefit the human family. Adam failed from
want of knowledge and experience to maintain uprightness of
character. His posterity, though possessing that knowledge
and experience, fail to attain uprightness from lack of ability
occasioned by his sin.

B. I can see no objection to your new view, that evil was
permitted because necessary to man’s development and de-
signed for his ultimate good, were it not as Bro. C. suggests:
Mankind will never have an opportunity to make use of the
experience and knowledge thus obtained. But, Bro. A., what
did you mean a few minutes since when you said, God had a
remedy provided for man’s release from the effects of the fall
before he fell?

A. God foresaw that having been given freedom of choice,
man would, through lack of knowledge, accept evil when dis-
guised as an “angel of light;” and also that becoming ac-
quainted with it, he would still choose it, because that ac-
quaintance would so impair his moral nature that evil would
become more agreeable to him and more to be desired than
good. So, permitted to take his own course, man brought
upon himself misery and death, from which he could never
recover himself. Then the voice of Infinite Love is heard: “Be-
hold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”
This is Christ Jesus, and the death of Christ for man’s sin was
a part of God’s plan as much as man’s fall. He is “the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world.” His death for our
sins was purposed by God before man fell; yes, before man was
created.

B. I begin to see a harmony and beauty connected with
the introduction of evil which I had not suspected. May we
not reasonably say that God could not have displayed those
qualities of His nature so attractive to us—mercy and pity—
nor could His great love have been made so apparent, had not
the occasion for their exercise been presented by man’s neces-
sities?

A. Iam glad that you have suggested this thought. It is
true, that though “the Lord is very pitiful and of tender
mercy,” yet neither of these would have been seen had there
not been a sinner requiring them; and while “God is love,”
and always has been the same, yet it is true that “in this
was manifested the love of God,” and “hereby perceive we the
love of God, because He (Christ) laid down his life for us.”
And do you not see that in the arrangement of the whole plan
the wisdom of God is beautifully shown? Let me say further,
that as we proceed, we shall find God’s justice made to shine
because of the introduction of evil. God might have told His
creatures of these attributes, but never could have exhibited
them had not sin furnished an occasion for their exhibition.

C. This suggests another thought: Man could not have de-
veloped these mora] qualities had God set no example.

A. Another good point, “He hath set us an example that
we should walk in His footsteps.” We learn what mercy, jus-
tice and love are by God’s illustration of them, and we are ex-
horted, “Be ye followers of God as dear children and walk in
love.” Notice, further, that we could not develop mercy, pity,
love, etc., unless we had fellow sinners upon whom to exercise
them. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God!”

B. I am becoming anxious to see the outcome. You have
suggested that Christ is the remedy for man’s recovery from
the effects of the fall, and that it was so arranged and pur-
posed by God before creating the race, but you have not shown
how the recovery is effected.

A. I am glad that you have not lost sight of the real ob-
ject of our conversation. The answer to this question will in-
volve the consideration of two points. First, What was the
penalty pronounced and inflicted? and, second, What was the

[14]

Avucust, 1879

remedy, and how applied? May 1 ask you to state in Scrip-
ture language what penalty God pronounced on Adam’s sin?

B. I believe it reads, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou
shalt surely die.” But he did not die for nine hundred and
thirty years.

A. You quote correctly. The marginal reading will help
you over the difficulty of his living nine hundred and thirty
years. It is a more literal rendering of the Hebrew text: “In
the day thou eatest thereof dying, thou shalt die,” ¢. e., from
the moment he would disobey God, death would have dominion
over man—would have a claim and right to man, and would
begin his work. It was only a question of time how long it
would be before he should lay men low. Elements of disease
infested all nature with which they came in contact since
separated from Eden and its trees of life.

We all are in a dying condition, partially dead, mentally,
morally and physically. From the moment of birth, and be-
fore it, we have been in the clutches of death, and he never
lets go until he has conquered. Man, by means of medical aid,
attempts resistance, but at best it is a very brief struggle.
Adam, because physically perfect, could offer great resistance.
Death did not completely conquer him for nine hundred and
thirty years, while the race at the present time, through the
accumulated ills handed down through generations past, yields
to his power on an average in about thirty-two years.

C. We are, then, so to speak, overshadowed by death from
the cradle to the tomb, the shade increasing each moment, until
it is blackness complete.

A. Yes; you get the thought as David expresses it in the
twenty-third Psalm: “I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death.” The further we go down into this valley the darker
it becomes, until the last spark of life expires.

B. I understand you to believe that diseases of the various
kinds are but the mouths of death by which we are devoured,
since we were placed within his reach by Adam’s sin?

A. Yes; every pain and ache we feel is evidence, not that
death will get hold of us, but that he now has us in his grasp.
Adam and all his race have been in death ever since he dis-
obeyed.

C. We frequently sing of death as the “Angel God has
sent,” “the gate to endless joy,” etc., and yet I confess that I
could never regard it except as an enemy, and such it would
really seem to be.

A. Nowhere in Scripture is it represented as our friend,
but always as an enemy of man, and consequently the enemy
of God, who loves man; and we are told that “for this pur-
pose Christ was manifest, that he might destroy death and him
that hath the power of death, that is, the devil.”

B. If death is the penalty for sin, has not mankind paid
that penalty in full when dead? Might he not be released from
death the moment after dying, yet fully meet the demand of
justice ?

A. “The wages of sin is death’—not dying, but “death”—
forever. As well say that a man condemned to imprisonment
for life had received the full penalty in the act of going into
prison, as that man received his penalty in the act of going
into death. In disobedience man fell into the hands of Justice,
and though God is merciful and loving, there can be no war-
fare between his attributes. Mercy and love must be exercised
in harmony with justice. “God is just” and “will by no means
clear the guilty,” Man was guilty, and must therefore be dealt
with by Justice. Justice cries, Your life is forfeited, “dying
thou shalt die.” Man is cast into the great prison house of
death, and Justice, while locking him in, says: “Thou shalt
by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the utter-
most farthing.”

B. Do I express the same idea by saying, that man for-
feited his right to life by his disobedience, and, consequently,
God, in justice, recognizing and enforcing His own law, could
not permit him to live again, unless he could meet the claims
of justice?

A. The idea is the same. Man is the debtor, and unless
he can pay the debt he cannot come out of the prison house of
death—cannot have life. He cannot pay this debt, and conse-
quently cannot release himself. But man’s weakness and help-
lessness gives occasion for the display of God’s mercy and love
in Christ Jesus; for “when there was no eye to pity and no
arm to save,” God devised a way by which he could be both
just and merciful; and “while we were vet without strength,
in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”

C. How for them? His death does not prevent men from
dying.

A. It does not prevent their dying, but it does prevent
their continuance in the prison house of death. He came to
“open the prison doors and set at liberty the captives.” This
he does, not by opposing God’s justice, but in recognizing it

ZION’S WATCH TOWER (7)

and paying that which is due. He has a right to set those
prisoners free. In his own death—the just for the unjust—
he ransomed us, as it is written, “I will ransom (purchase)
them from the power of the grave;” “I will redeem them from
death,” “For ye were bought with a price, even the precious
blood (life) of Christ.”

C. I understand you to mean, that as Jesus came into the
world by a special creative act of God, he was free from the
curse which rested upon the balance of the race, therefore not
liable to death. As the second Adam, He was tried but came
off conqueror. “He was obedient even unto death,” but not
having forfeited his right to life, either through Adam’s sin or
his own, death had no claim upon him. He, therefore had
something to offer Justice for the life of mankind.

A. Yes, as he himself said, “My flesh I will give for the
life of the world.” Jno. vi. 51. He must have a right to con-
tinuance of life else he could not give it. He did not conquer
nor overthrow Justice, but recognizing the Justice of the Law
of God in the forfeit of the sinner’s life he purchased it back
with his own, and thereby obtained the right to “destroy
death”—the enemy who for a time is used as the servant of
Justice.

B. Then Justice accepted the life of Christ as a substitute
for the sinner’s life. But it seems unjust to make the innocent
suffer for the guilty.

A. It would be unjust to make or compel such suffering,
but. “Christ gave himself for us.” “He for the joy that was
set before him endured the cross.”

But how could the life of one purchase the life of
many?

A. By the rule of

SUBSTITUTION.

As Adam was substituted for the race in trial, and through
his failure “death passed upon all men” and all were counted
sinners even before birth, so the obedience of death in Christ
justified all men to a return to life. Paul so expresses it in
Rom. v. 18. [Em. Diaglott.] “For as through the disobedience
of ONE man, the many were constituted sinners, so also through
the obedience of the one the many will be constituted
(reckoned) righteous;” and “as through one offence sentence
came on all men to condemnation, (condemning them to death)
so also, through one righteous act sentence came on all men to
justification of life,’—justifying their living again.

B. Shall we understand then that the resurrection of the
dead is optional or compulsory on Justice?

A. Christ having “tasted death for every man,” it is cer-
tainly compulsory on Justice to release the prisoners held for
sin. Christ’s sacrifice having been accepted as “the propitia-
tion (settlement) of our sins, and not of ours (believers)
only, but also for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD,” all must go
free because God is Just.

B. Does not this imply universal, eternal salvation?

A. No, it implies the saving or salvation of all men from
the condition of death, but as many of them will be liable to
the “second death” on account of their own sin, it cannot be
eternal salvation. The second Adam will eventually restore to
the race all that is lost by the first Adam’s sin. e could not
lose eternal life in Adam, because he never had it to lose—he
was a probationer for the eternal life.

C. Was eternal life ever offered to Adam?

A. Not directly, but his continuance of life if obedient, is
implied in the threatening of death if disobedient.

C. Then this salvation cannot be what Paul refers to, say-
ing, “The gift of God is eternal life.”

A. No; the restoration to natural life was not a gift of
God, but a thing once possessed and then lost, now to be re-
turned, because “purchased”—paid for. Having restored the
race, brought them back to sehcee they were before the fall,
with the advantage of knowing from actual experience the
character and results of that evil which Adam mistook for
good, and which is again to present itself for their trial, they
will be given an opportunity of accepting this “Gift of God’—
eternal life. When thus restored to perfect natural life, pos-
sessing the knowledge of good and evil, as perfect obedience
will be expected of them as was required of Adam.

C. If ransomed, why do they remain in death and others
die, since Christ has paid the price?

A. If you make a purchase, pay the price for goods, it
does not follow of necessity that you take them away at once.
You may have other things to attend to for a time, and when
prepared, you call for the purchased goods. God has a time
for everything; man had been in the enemy’s country four
thousand years before his release was purchased by Christ.
The receipt was signed by God and accepted by justice, and in
His “due time,” when He has established his kingdom, all that

[15]

(7-8)

are in their graves shall come forth, for as in, or through,
Adam ALL die, even so in, or through, Christ shall aLL be made
alive. (Not all at once, but “every man in his own order.”)
Jesus saw mankind a “treasure (precious thing) hid in a field,
and for joy, He selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field”
(Matt, xiii. 44). For the joy set before Him, He bought the
earth with man in it, giving all that He had (life) for us.
We and the earth are now His “purchased possession,” and
Eph., i. 14, informs us that the time is coming for “the re-
demption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His
glory.”

C. You seem to say nothing about conditions of salvation,
while the Scriptures mention them frequently.

A. There are conditions laid down for the attainment of
the “Gift of God—eternal life,’”’ but none for the recovery of
the race from the fall, except the righteousness and acceptable-
ness of our Substitute. To have a clear understanding of God’s
plan, we must recognize the distinction which He makes be-
tween the world in general and the church, or called out ones
of the present time. God “loves the world,” and has made
great and rich provisions, as we have seen, for their coming,
in His due time, to a condition of perfectness and happiness;
but in the meantime, while they are getting their experience
with evil, God calls out from among them “‘a Jittle flock,” to
whom He makes “exceeding great and precious promiseés,”” con-
ditioned on their living separate from the balance of the world
—“overcoming the world’—i. e., that they may become mem-
bers of God’s family, and be joined with Him in “blessing all
the families of the earth.” Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us (believers), that we should be
called the children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and JoInT heirs with Jesus Curist our Lord.

B. It is very clear to my mind, that a false idea of sub-
stitution has obtained among christian people from a supposi-
tion that it represented God as a vindictive, vengeful tyrant,
angry because man had sinned; refusing to show mercy until
blood had been shed and caring not whether it was the blood
of the innocent or the guilty so long as it was bluod. I doubt
not, many christians have been led to look upon Substitution
as a God dishonoring doctrine, even though there are inany
scriptures which are found difficult to otherwise make use of,
as, “He tasted death for every man;” “My flesh I will give
for the life of the world;” “Without the shedding of blood
(life) there is no remission of sins;” “Redemption through His
blood ;” “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us;” “We
were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” It was not
His leaving the glory which he had, nor His having kept the
law, nor by His being rejected of the Jews, a man of sorrows
and acquainted with grief, nor by His resurrection, nor by
work He has since accomplished, but, “by His DEATH that we
are reconciled to God.”

I now see Him as mankind’s Substitute, suffering death,
the penalty which the justice of God had inflicted upon us. I
can see “the exceeding sinfulness of sin” in God’s sight, the
perfection of His justice, and His great wisdom in so arrang-
ing it all, that man’s extremity was made the occasion for the
manifestation of “the great love wherewith He loved us” when
“He gave His only begotten Son,” and “laid upon him the
iniquity of us all,” as well as the love of Christ, who gave
himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
(buy back to us all we had lost by iniquity). I feel to ex-
claim with Paul. “O! the depth of the riches both of the
knowledge and wisdom of God.”

C. I have heard frequently your views of restitution, and
saw some force and considerable beauty in them, but I never
before saw how absolutely certain man’s restoration to life is.
T see now that the same justice of God, which could in no case
clear the guiity, and could not permit man’s release from death
until the price of his ransom had been paid.—The very purity
of this justice, as well as the love of God in providing the
ransom, assures us that the penalty, or price, having now been
paid, every man must ultimately be released from death. Now
can we know that all when restored and under favorable con-
ditions, with the Gospel church—Christ and the members of
his body—for their rulers and teachers, kings and priests—
will they not all be melted by the love of God, manifested in
their recovery at such a cost as Christ’s death? Will not all
accept and be eternally saved?

A. It would seem as though such love, when seen, would
beget love and obedience; but we are assured that there is a
second death, and while those who become subject to it will
not compare in numbers with the saved, yet, there will be a
great company “as the sand of the sea,” at the end of the
thousand years, who are incorrigible and are cast into the lake
of fire, (the second death).

God made provision before our creation for the recovery

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PirTsBuRGH, Pa.

from the first death, but, if after experience with evil and a
knowledge of good, they do not appreciate God’s offered gift—
eternal life—and refusing it, die for their own sin, (not
Adam’s), there is no recovery; Christ will not die for them
again. Those “count the blood of the covenant wherewith they
were sealed an unholy thing,” and Justice and Love can do
nothing more for them.

C. Is not this scripture applied by the apostle to some
living in the present age, and do not those christians who, hav-
ing once believed that “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us
from al]! sin,” turn from this and regard the death of Christ
as not rescuing us from “the wages of sin—death,” but merely
as a channel toward the perfecting of himself, that He might
become the head of the spiritual race; do not such ‘count the
blood of the covenant (Christ), wherewith they were sealed,
an unholy thing”—a thing of small value?

A. This scripture is used with reference to this age, but
is applicable and true of the next as well. I hope the class to
whom you refer have not filled the picture (Heb. 10) of com-
mitting the unpardonable sin; yet, I confess that it looks like
a long step in that direction, to deny the statement that “He
was cut off, but not for himself;” (Dan. ix. 26.) ‘That we
are justified (to life) by His blood,’ (Rom. v. 9-18) and
many other plain statements of the Word. The old serpent is
still wise to lead astray, and where he cannot keep God’s
children in the dark, since having seen and loved the light, he
fain would present a false light, seeing they are so enraptured
with the true, and, disguising himself as an angel of light. he
would seek to lead off into by-paths some of the chaste vir-
gins who wait for the Bridegroom and love his appearing, and
despoiling them of their wedding garment—the white robes
which Christ purchased with his death,—cast them into outer
darkness with the world.

B. But there is a sense, is there not, in which, by resur-
rection, Christ becomes the Head, Leader, Captain of all on the
spiritual plane?

A. O, yes! I think this principle is recognized by all who
see any of the “deep things of God.” The world, although pur-
chased by His death, get back in Him as their Substitute only
what they lost; consequently, will stand where Adam would
have stood had he possessed experience or knowledge of evil.
Great strides forward must yet be made to reach that full
likeness of God and become spiritual bodies. This they could
not have done without a leader or captain. We never could
have become “Sons of God,” in the full sense, and “joint heirs
with Jesus Christ,” without our Elder Brother to help us up.
and we never could have entered the “Holy of holies.” All
praise for the work accomplished and made possible by His
resurrection. A frequent error is, to ignore one truth while
giving prominence to another. The death and resurrection of
Christ are inseparably joined and equally invaluable. As the
death would have done us little good, because we could not
without a leader go “beyond the vail,” (the flesh), so, also, had
Jesus been ever so perfect a leader and guide, we, prisoners
in the pit—the grave—could not follow his leading until he
first purchased our release from the “wages of sin’—death.

B. I see a force, then, in Paul’s expression, Rom. v. 10:
“Reconciled by the death—saved by the life.”

C. I have a thought: If Justice could not let mankind go
free from death, how could he permit Jesus to live if he be-
came man’s substitute? Must not his life be forever forfeited ?

A. It was forever forfeitted—he never took the same life
again. He was quickened (made alive) to a higher life by the
Father. “He was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by
the Spirit” to a higher plane, a spiritual body. As we shall
be, He, our leader, was “sown a natural body, raised a spirit-
ual body.” Had he risen a fleshly being, with fleshly life, we
eould not go free. It would have been taking back our “ran-
som”’—~our “price.” As Paul says, “He took upon him the
form of a servant (flesh) for the suffering of death.” He had
no need of it further; he left it. “He made his soul (life) an
offering for sin:” “My flesh I will give for the life of the
world.” (Jno. vi. 51.) It was given forever. “This man,
after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on
the right hand of God” (Heb. x. 12), having received a higher
sort of life.

B. This change, then, accounts for his acting so strangely
after his resurrection—appearing in different forms—as the
gardener to Mary, and “afterwards in another form to two of
them,” etc. His appearing in their midst, the doors being
shut, and anon vanishing out of their sight. I often thought
it peculiar. But did not his fleshly body disappear from the
tomb?

A. Yes: “His flesh saw not corruption.” What became of
his flesh; whether part of the atoms went to form the spiritual
body or not, I know not. We do not even know what a

[16]

Avucust, 1879

spiritual body is composed of. “It doth not yet appear what
we shall be;” but, remember, it was not the atoms of matter
which composed the body—(and which are continually chang-
ing)—these atoms did not sin, and were not cursed nor for-
feited by the fall. It was the flesh life, and Christ paying it
with his flesh life did not affect the atoms of matter which
composed his body.

- I know you believe the law to be a shadow of the
realities of the Gospel age; do you find this “tasting death for
every man,” and, also, “our high calling,” there typified, and
are they kept separate and distinct?

A. Very clearly so. To be brief: All Isragl represented
the entire race. The select tribe of Levi, which ministered to
the Lord as his specia] portion—his servants—represents the
entire church of believers and servants of God; while the
Priests selected from the tribe of Levi, represent “the little
flock,” “the overcomers,” “the bride,” “the Royal Priesthood.”

The priesthood in the tabernacle services, offerings, &c.,
represent the church in this age. The large majority of be-
lievers, like the Levites, are connected with the tabernacle and
the Lord’s services, yet occupy more the position of the menial
servant, simply carrying forward the Ark, attending to the
outward and more common-place affairs. They are necessary
as a part of the working machinery, and as assistants to the
Priests, yet blessed much above the world in this honor.

As the priests were more clearly related to and associated
with the High Priest, and permitted to go into Holy Places,
offer incense, etc., so the “little flock” are more closely re-
lated to, and mingle more in Christ’s society, than the gen-
eral company of believers. These alone, can go into “the deep
things of God.” These only, are lighted by the golden candle-
stick, and feed upon the bread. These alone—the “holy ones,”
vet “little ones,”’—can approach close to the mercy-seat, and
before it, offer sweet incense—‘the prayers of the saints.” The
High Priest, as is beautifully described by Paul, represented,
in all his services, Jesus, the “High Priest” of [our profes-
sion] the “Royal Priesthood.”

Now, having the actors clearly defined in our minds, let
us look at their work. We will not go into a particular and
systematic examination now (we may again) but simply giance
at the outlines. The High Priest, to be a perfect type of
Christ, should have died—not bulls and goats instead—but
himself, then have risen to new life, and taken of his own
blood (life) into the Holy Place to make an atonement. But
this he could not do, since the giving of his life would have
ended his career, therefore an animal] is used as his substitute.
The animal, therefore becomes the type of Christ in the flesh:
“A body hast thou prepared me.” The value of the death of
the type (the animal) represents the value of Christ’s death.
The sins of the “whole congregation” were confessed and im-
puted or laid upon the head of the victim when put to death,
just as God “hath laid upon him (Christ) the iniquity of us
all.”

As the death of the sacrifice was not for the priests alone,
so Christ’s death is not for the “little flock” alone. As the
animal’s life was not for the tribe of Levi alone, but also for
the “whole congregation,” so the blood of our substitute was
not for believers alone. “He is the propitiation for our sins,
and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the hole
world.” (1 Jno. ii. 2.) Some one has truly said, “The animal
represented the people, but pointed to Christ.” It did repre-
sent the people by dying for and on account of their sins, and
it pointed to Christ as the one who would really die for the
“sins of the whole world.” ‘He was once offered to bear the
sins of many,” and He did “bear our sins in his own body on
the tree.” “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for
every man.”

Now, the sacrifice having been made, the High Priest. rep-
resenting the risen, spiritual Jesus, takes the shed blood into
the Holy of Holies. You see, the life once sacrificed is not
given back, but kept a sacrifice, showing that Christ did not
take back his flesh life (the sacrifice) when he went into the
Holy of Holies, but went in with another, a higher life.

While he is in the Holv of Holies presenting the price of
the people’s life, what is their attitude? They are bowed in
the dust, waiting, until the atonement work being finished, the
High Priest will come out of the Holy of Holies, appear to
and bless them. Then they all arise rejoicing, representing by
their prostrate condition humanity in death: who, when our
High Priest comes forth to “bless all the families of the earth,”
will be made to arise from the dust and rejoice.

C. This seems to represent beautifully and clearly Christ

ZION’S WATCH TOWER (8)

as the world’s substitute. Now, what type shows the exemp-
tions which the Church enjoys above the world?

A. While all are justified from Adam’s sin unconditional-
ly, yet, where knowledge of right is possessed, obedience is ex-
pected as far as they are able to obey. Failure in this respect
is the occasion for their being beaten with many or few stripes
in the age to come. While the “little flock” who now believe
into and are baptized into Christ, become members of his body,
are by their faith “justified from all things” (Heb. xiii. 39),
and will not be beaten with stripes in the world to come.
True, they now receive “chastisement whereof all are par-
takers,” but not as a penalty; only as the “rod and staff” of
Christ, the Shepherd, to guide his sheep.

Thus, the sins of the “Church of the First-born” are passed
over (not imputed), and she is justified, not from death only,
but “from all things.”

This is beautifully pictured in the law by the Passover.
Wherever in that night the lamb was eaten and his blood
sprinkled, the first-born was passed over—apared. (Ex. 12.)

o, during this night—the Gospel age,—Christ, our Passover
(lamb), is sacrificed, and we “keep the feast.” (1 Cor. v. 8.)
We feed on our Lamb, with some of the “bitter herbs” of af-
fliction to sharpen our appetite. All such are passed over,
“counted worthy.” This type shows the special value of
Christ’s death to His body, the “Church of the First-born.”
Thus, “God is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that
believe.” (1 Tim. iv. 10.)

C. Everything seems to be beautifully mirrored in the
Law. But there are certain questions put by those who do not
believe in Jesus as our substitute, which would still be diffi-
cult for me to answer, viz.:

First.—If Christ entered the Holy of Holies as our sub-
stitute, then we cannot enter for ourselves.

Second.—If Christ’s sufferings were substitutional, would
not we (the church) also be a part of the substttute, or sac-
rifice, since “we fill up the measure of His sufferings which
are behind ?”

Third.—Does not the race get back in the second Adam
spiritual life? Jesus frequently speaks of himself as the giver
of the spiritual life.

A. I will answer very briefly in the order given. First.—
The substitutional character of Christ’s work was complete in
the giving of the flesh life ; consequently, no act after that life
was surrendered and a new life begun could be as our sub-
stitute. Second.—The sufferings of Christ are not a part of
the price of our ransom. “We were reconciled by the death,”
not by the sufferings, consequently our filling up the measure
of His sufferings has nothing to do with the sacrifice. It is
“the offering of the body of Jesus.” “For this man having made
one sacrifice forever,” (Heb. x. 10-12) it needs no adding to
on our part. See how fully shown in the type: The sacrifice
of atonement was offered by the high priest and represents
him alone. (See Heb. v. 1-5.) The sacrifices being burned
outside the camp represented disgrace. So Jesus suffered out-
side Jerusalem, and (Heb. xiii. 11.) those who would be a part
of the typical priesthood must share in the services and work
of the tabernacle. and in any dishonors as well as honors at-
taching to it. They must ignominiously handle the ashes of
the sacrifice if they would be honored by being permitted to
go to the candlestick, eat the holy bread and offer incense. So
we, if we would be antitypical priests, must share the shame.
— “Go without the camp bearing His reproach,” if we would
have the heavenly food, heavenly light, be permitted to offer
sweet incense (acceptable prayer), and spiritual sacrifices (the
fruit of our lips, good works, &c.) (Heb. xiii. 15.) “If we suf-
fer with Him, we shall also be glorified together.”

Your third query we will talk of at another time. Let me
suggest, however, that as Adam did not possess a spiritual life.
not even a germ, never having been “begotten by the Word of
Truth,” he could not lose it; and if the second Adam restores
what the first lost, this spiritual life would be no part of that
work. The gift of God, spiritual and eternal life, is given only
to believers. Adam, and the majority of his race, will be re-
stored in the second Adam to perfect physical, mental and
moral power, just what they lost, and from that they will then
have the opportunity of going higher. and under the guidance
and instruction of the glorified church, of attaining spiritual
life. Jesus does speak of himself as the giver of spiritual life,
and so He will be. but also of the natural. If the spiritual life
and death are aliwcays meant, why should we not suppose that
in “tasting death for every man” He tasted spiritual death:
and, if so, lost spiritual life; and if He lost spiritual life, of
course he could not give it to others, or be their leader to it.

[17]

HOW WILL CHRIST COME?

Having considered in our last the object of our Lord’s re-
turn, the manner in which he will come becomes to all who
“love His appearing” one of great interest, and now invites
your attention.

In order that we may have a good foundation, and as a basis
for further investigation, we will first inquire, What is a
spiritual body? What powers are theirs, and by what laws are
they governed? We are here met by the objections—We have
no right to pry into the hidden things of God: and, “Eye hath
not seen, ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man,
the things which God hath prepared for those that love him.”
To both of these propositions we assent, but believe we cannot
find out by studying God’s Word—and our investigation will be
confined to it—what he has not revealed. The above quotation
of scripture (1 Cor. ii. 9.) refers to the natural or carnal
man, and by reading it, in connection with the three verses
which follow, the objection vanishes; for, says the apostle, “God
hath revealed them unto us by His spirit,” which was given
to us “that we might know the things freely given unto us of
God;” and in the last clause of vs. 13, he gives us the rule by
which we may know, viz.: “Comparing spiritual things with
spiritual.” We are very apt to invert this rule and compare
spiritual things with natural, and thus get darkness instead
of light. Let us now use the apostle’s rule.

There is a spiritual body as well as a natural body; a
heavenly, as well as an earthly body; a celestial as well as a
terrestrial. They are distinct and separate. (1 Cor. xv. 38.
40.) We know what the fleshly natural body is, for we now
have such; it is flesh, blood and bones; for “that which is
born of the flesh is flesh.” And since there are two kinds of
bodies, we know that the spiritual is not composed of flesh,
blood and bones, whatever it may be. It is a spiritual body,
and “that which is born of the spirit is spirit.” But of what
material a spiritual body is composed, we know not, for “it
doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we shall be like
Him.” [Christ.]

ANGELS ARE SPIRITUAL BODIES

Christ was raised from the dead a spiritual body; this was
His second birth. First, born of the flesh a fleshly body—for
“as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also
Himself likewise took part of the same.” (Heb. ii. 14.)
He was “Put to death in the flesh but quickened [made alive]
by the Spirit.” He was raised a spiritual body. This resur-
rection was His second birth. He was the “first born from
the dead,” ‘“‘the first-born among many brethren.” The
church are those brethren and will have a second birth of
the same kind as His, viz.: to spiritual bodies by the resur-
rection, when we shall awake in His likeness—being made
“Like unto Chrisi’s glorious body.” But this second birth
must be preceded by a begetting of the spirit—conversion—
just as surely as a birth of the flesh is preceded by a begetting
of the flesh. Begotten of the flesh—born of the flesh in the
likeness of the first Adam, the earthly; begotten of the spirit
—in the resurrection born of the spirit into the likeness of
the heavenly, the second Adam. ‘As we have borne the image
of the earthly we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
We may, then, by examining facts recorded of angels, and of
Christ after His resurrection, gain general information with
regard to spiritual bodies, thus “comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.”

‘First, Angels can be, and frequently are, present, yet in-
visible; for, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about
them that are His, and delivereth them;” and “Are they not
all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. i. 14.) Are you an heir
of salvation? Then. doubtless, they have ministered to you.
Have they ministered visibly or invisibly? Undoubtedly the
latter. Elisha was surrounded by a host of Syrians his
servant was fearful; Elisha prayed to the Lord and the
voung man’s eyes were opened and he “saw mountains round
about Elisha full of chariots of fire and horsemen of fire” (or
like fire). Again, while to Balaam the angel was invisible
the ass’ eyes being opened saw him.

Second, Angels can and have appeared as men. The Lord
and two angels so appeared to Abraham, who had a supper
prepared for them, of which they ate. At first, Abraham sup-
posed them to be “three men,” and it was not until they
were about to go that he discovered one of them to be the
Lord, and the other two angels, who afterward went down to
Sodom and delivered Lot. (Gen. xviil. 1.) An angel ap-
peared to Gideon as a man, but afterward made himself
known. An ange] appeared to Samson’s mother and father;
they thought him a man until he ascended up to heaven in
the flame of the altar. (Judges xiii. 20.)

Third, Spiritual bodies are glorious in their normal con-

dition and are frequently spoken of as glorious and bright.
The countenance of the angel who rolled away the stone
from the sepulcher “was as the lightning.” Daniel saw a
glorious spiritual body whose eyes were as lamps of fire, his
countenance as the lightning, his arms and feet like in color
to polished brass, his voice as the voice of a multitude; before
him Daniel fell as a dead man. (Daniel x. 6.) John, on the
isle of Patmos, saw Christ’s glorious body, (Rev. i, 14.) and
describes the appearance in almost the same language—His
voice was as the sound of many waters, His eyes as lamps of
fire, His feet like fine brass as it burns in a furnace, (so
bright that you can scarcely look at it), John falls at His feet
as dead; but He said to him, “Fear not; I am He that was
dead; behold I am alive forevermore.” Saul of Tarsus saw
Christ’s glorious body. It shone above the brightness of the
sun at noonday. Saul lost his sight and fell to the ground, &c.
We have thus far found spiritual bodies truly glorious;
yet, without a miracle, either the opening of our eyes to see
them, or their appearing in the flesh as men, they are invisible.
This conclusion is further confirmed when we examine the
more minute details connected with these manifestations. The
Lord was seen of Saul alone, “they that journeyed with him
. Seeing no man.” (Acts ix. 7.) The men _ that
were with Daniel did not see the glorious being he describes,
but a great fear “fell on them and they ran and hid them-

selves.” Again, this same glorious being declares: (Daniel
x. 13.) “The prince of Persia withstood me one and twenty
days.” “Daniel, the man greatly beloved” of the Lord, falls

as dead before this one whom Persia’s prince withstands one
and twenty days. “How is this? Surely, He did not appear
in glory to the prince; no; either He was invisibly present
with him, or else

HE APPEARED AS A MAN.

Christ is a spiritual body since His resurrection. During
the forty days of His presence before ascension, He appeared
some seven or eight times to His disciples; where was He the
remainder of the time? Present but invisible. Notice, also,
that in each instance He is said to have appeared, or He
showed Himself, language never used of Him before His change
from a natural to a spiritual body; now, as angels do—He
appeared, &ce. Not only so, but He appeared in different
bodies—as the gardener to Mary, “after that He appeared in
another ForM to two of them as they went into the country.”
Notice, it was in another form and consequently not the same
one in which he appeared to Mary. (Mark xvi. 12.) After-
wards He appeared in a body, either the same or like the one
crucified, having the marks of the spear and the nails. “He
came and stood in their midst, the doors being shut.” On these
various occasions He appeared, talked with them, then vanished
out of their sight as the wind; they could not tell whence He
came nor whither He went. “So is every one that is born of
the spirit.” When we are born of the spirit (at the resurrec-
tion) we can do so also. All spiritual beings exhibit this
same power. But Jesus said: “Handle me; for a spirit
[pneuma] hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have”; and
He ate with them. True; I believe it. So did the angels
[pneuma] (Heb. i. 7.) appear as men in flesh and bones;
they ate also; their spiritual bodies did not eat, nor were
they flesh and bones, but the body in which they uppeared
was flesh, and it ate. The disciples did not see Christ’s
glorious spiritual body, but as He appeared in a fleshly body.
St. Paul teaches us distinctly that Christ was raised from the
dead a life-giving spirit [pnewma, the same word used by
our Lord.] (1 Cor. xv. 44. 45.) But where did He get the
various bodies in which He appeared? I cannot answer you;
but T believe, and you do also, other things which we cannot
understand. I cannot understand how that grain of wheat
grows. Yet I know it does. I know not how Christ turned
the water into wine, or healed the sick, or raised the dead.
Yet I believe that He did these things. Can you tell me
where He got the clothes He wore after His resurrection?
“They parted His raiment among them, and for His vesture
they cast lots”—the old were gone, and the linen clothes lay
in the sepulcher. Is it more difficult for spiritual beings,
with their powers, to create a covering of flesh than a cover-
ing of cloth? No; the same power can and did do both.

Thus we have found Christ’s spiritual body like those
of angels; glorious, yet invisible to mortals, with power to
manifest the glory; or appear as a man or in any form He
may choose. In the resurrection we shall be like the angels;
and “like unto Christ’s glorious body.” We shall be like
Him; for (not until then) we shall see Him as He is,” for
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hence
forth know we Him no more,” [after the flesh.] (2 Cor. v.
16.) Such a spiritual being was Christ, at the time of His

(2) [18]

Aucust, 1879

ascension, and with what we have learned of the powers of
that spiritual body, we are now, we hope, prepared to inquire:

“HOW WILL HE COME AGAIN?’’

Briefly stated, we believe the Scriptures to teach that, at
His coming and for a time after He has come, He will remain
invisible; afterward manifesting or showing Himself in judg-
ments and various forms, so that “every eye shall see Him.”
But every eye will not see Him at the same moment. A simi-
lar statement is made of the Resurrection, “All that are in
their graves hear the voice of the Son of Man and come forth.”
Taken by itself, this seems to teach the resurrection of all at
once. Yet we know that there is a first resurrection composed
of the “blessed and holy” only.

“Behold, I come as a thief” is the way He frequently
spoke to His disciples of His coming. He comes “as a thief”
for the church—the waiting virgins, both “they that sleep
in Jesus”’—the first resurrection—and “we, who are alive
and remain,” “shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the
air; 80 shall we ever be with the Lord.”

“In that day two shall be in the mill, two in the field,
two in bed; one be taken and the other left’’—like Enoch,
who was not, for the Lord took him. The world will go on
with its affairs, unconscious of the great changes of dispen-
sation.

The second advent, like the first, covers a period of time,
and is not the event of a moment. The first lasted nearly
thirty-four years, and the events connected with it—His
birth, baptism, sorrow, death, resurrection, etc., as mentioned
by the prophets, all took place at the first advent. The
second advent, as we have seen, lasts much longer. Jt in-
cludes the millennial reign, and prophecy covers all the prom-
inent features of that reign, He comes to reign—must reign
until He has put down all enemies; the last being death. 1
Cor. xv. 25.

In the application of prophecy to the events of the first
advent, we recognize order. Christ must be the “child born
and son given” “before the man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief.’ He must die before He could rise from the
dead, ete. So also in studying prophecy referring to the sec-
ond advent we must recognize order; we must judge of the
order somewhat by the character of the event. As the wife
is the glory of the husband, so the Bride is the glory of
Christ, for we are to be “partakers of the glory that shall
be revealed,” (1 Pet. v. 1, 10.) and as the “glory shall be
revealed in us.” (Rom. viii. 18.) We know that Christ
could not come in the glory of His kingdom [church] until
He has first gathered it from the world. In harmony with
this thought we read—‘‘When He shall appear, we also
shall appear with Him in glory.” (Col. iii. 4.)

The prophets foretold the sufferings of Christ {head and
body] and the glory that should follow. If the sufferings
were of the whole body, so is the glory we suffer with Him
that we may be also “glorified together.” (Rom. viii. 17.)

“Enoch prophesied, saying—The Lord cometh with ten thou-
sands of His saints,” {Gr. hagios, never translated angel.]
(Jude 14.) Again, (Zech. xiv. 5.) we read—“‘The Lord my
God shall come and all thy saints with thee.” Thus we
learn that when He appears in glory we are with Him, and
of course, we must be caught to meet Him before we could
appear with Him.

We have further evidence to offer, proving that He comes
unknown to the world; but attempt to answer two supposed
objections first; viz: “This same Jesus shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven” (Acts i. 11.)
and “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the arch-angel and the trump of
God; and the dead in Christ shall rise.” (1 Thes. iv. 16.)
These texts are supposed to teach that Christ will come
visible to every eye, while the air is rent with the blast of
the Arch-angel’s trumpet, at which, mid reeling tombstones
and opening graves the dead will be resurrected. It certainly
has that appearance on the surface, and doubtless was in-
tended to be so understood until due; but look at it again;
would that be coming in like manner as they saw Him go?
He did not go with the sounding of a trumpet and outward
demonstration. It does not say you shall see Him coming,
nor that any one would so see, but He shall come. When he
arrives it will be privately. He comes to organize us—the
Church—as His kingdom; to set us up. He comes to be
glorified in His saints in that day (2 Thes. i. 10.) The world
saw him not after His resurrection; they did not see Him
ascend. And “He shall so come in like manner’—unknown
to the world. As He said, “Yet a little while and the
world seeth me no more,” nor will they see Him at His
second advent until His church is gathered, for when He

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(2-3)

shall appear we also shall appear with Him.” What, then
does the trumpet mean? Let us see. We are to be re-
warded “at the resurrection,” we surely will not be re-
warded twice nor resurrected twice. We conclude, there-
fore, that the “Trump of God,” (1 Thes. iv. 16) and the
“Last Trump,” (1 Cor. xv. 52,) are the same, differently
expressed; the same events are mentioned as occurring at
each, viz: the resurrection and reward of the saints, and for
the same reason we believe the “Trump of God” and “Last
Trump” to be the “Seventh Trump” of Rev. xi. 15. 18.
Under it also the dead are judged and the prophets and saints
rewarded, Then the “Seventh Trump,” is the “Last Trump,”
and is called, “The Trump of God,” possibly because introduc-
ing the special judgments of God connected with the setting up
of His kingdom.

These trumpets evidently are the same, but what? The
seventh angel sounded. A sound on the air? No, not any
more than the six which preceded it. They are each said to
sound, and Sir Isaac Newton, Clarke, and all commentators
of note agree that five or six of these trumpets are in the
past. They have been fulfilled in events upon the Earth,
each covering a period of time. They certainly must all

sound before the resurrection, for that is under the seventh.
If

THE SEVENTH TRUMP

were to make a sound on the air, it would be out of har-
mony with the other six of the series. That it covers “the
great day of his wrath,” the time of judgments upon the
kingdoms of the world and of the pouring out of the “seven
vials” of His wrath, the “time of trouble such as was not
since there was a nation” seems more than probable, for
we are told in the same sentence of the wrath of God com-
ing on the nations.

We see then, that the sownding of the trumpets, and so
coming in like manner, do not conflict but rather add force
to the fact that He comes “unawares,” “as a thicf” and
steals away from the world “His treasure, His jewels,” re-
member too that this is Christ the spiritual body, that could
not be seen without a miracle, that was present yet unseen
during thirty-three days after his resurrection.

But will the world not see the saints when gathered
or gathering? No; they are changed (in the twinkling of
an eye) from Natura] to Spiritual bodies, like unto Christ’s
glorious body, and in the instant of their change &c., will be
as invisible as He and angels. But those who arise from
their graves?—No, they were sown (buried) natural bodies,
they are raised spiritual bodies—invisible, Won’t the world
see the graves open and the tombstones thrown down? A
spiritual body (remember we are comparing spiritual things
with spiritual, not natural) coming out of the grave will
not make any more of a hole in the ground than Christ’s
spiritual body made in the door when “He came and stood
in their midst, the doors being shut.” But do not forget
that only the church are raised spiritual bodies, all others,
natural fleshly bodies as Lazarus, &c.

PRESENCE OF OHRIST BEFORE RAPTURE OF CHURCH

Christ’s personal presence and ministry of three and a
half years at the first advent, as well as the three and a half
years which followed His ministry is termed—“The Har-
vest.” It was the harvesting of the Jewish or Law age.
Christ was present as the chief reaper. His disciples as
under-reapers; their work was separating of wheat from
chaff and the gathering of the wheat into the higher or Gos-
pel dispensation. That harvest was the end of that age.
Jesus said to His disciples, “Lift up your eyes and look on
the fields, for they are white already to harvest.” “I sent
you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor, other men
(the prophets) have labored and ye are entered into their
labors.” (John iv. 38.) That work was not general, nor
for the world. He confined His labors to Judea. and the
work to them did not cease until five days before His death,
when he rode on the ass into the city, wept over it, guve
them up, and their house was left unto them desolate. After
His resurrection He sends the disciples to “preach the Gos-
pel to every creature, beginning at Jerusalem”; nor were they
suffered to preach to the world in general until the seven
years of harvest work to that Jewish people was fully ac-
complished as God had promised. (Daniel ix. 27.) ‘He
(Jesus chief reaper) shall confirm the covenant with many
for one week, (seven years) in the midst of the week making
all sacrifice to cease”’—Himself being offered—the true sac-
rifice. But these three and a half years of the Gospel age
were a harvest to none but the Jewish church; the Gospel
church does not reap but sows the seed. Paul plants,

[19]

(3-2)

Apollos waters, God gives increase, ete. But there is to be
a harvest in the end of this age, as illustrated in the parable
of the tares and wheat, and taught in the explanation of the
same. Notice that both wheat and tares are in the kingdom
of heaven,—the church—and that this parable, as also the
other six of the series, refers not to the non-professing world,
but to two classes in the church.

The Son of Man planted the church pure, good seed.
During the days of the Apostles there were special “gifts
of the Spirit” such as “discerning of spirits,” ete., by which
they were able to prevent tares getting in among the wheat
—hypocrites getting into the church. (Instance 1 Cor. v. 3.
—‘‘Simon Magus”-—“Ananias and Sapphira,” ete.) but when
the Apostles were dead, “while men slept’”—the enemy be-
gan to sow tares among the wheat. Paul says that the
mystery of iniquity had begun to work even in his day; now,
they grow side by side in all our churches. Shall we separate
them, Lord? No (we might make some mistake, pull up
wheat and leave tares.) ‘Let both grow together until the
Harvest.” (Matt. 13.) The harvest ts the end of the world”
faion age.] “In the time of harvest I will say unto the
reapers—the reapers are the angels—gather together first the
tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather
the wheat into my barn.”

Notice, this Harvest is the end of this age, yet like the one
ending, the Jewish age, it is a period of time—‘In the time of
harvest”—secondly, there is order—‘gather first the tares.”
There will come a time, then, in the end of this age, when
the reapers—angels—will te present doing some sort of a
separating work in the Church; and yet it is an invisible
presence, for when the wheat is gathered (after the binding
of the tares,)—translated when ‘“‘we which are alive are
caught up to meet the Lord”—-when taken they are in the
field, mill and bed; would they be so engaged if they had
seen angels going about gathering tares? No; it is an in-
visible work, done by beings invisible.

Again, before the living are gathered, the dead in Christ
must have risen, whether it be but a moment before: “the
dead in Christ rise first, then we which are alive,” &e. (1
Thess. iv. 16.) This harvest is not of the living only, but
also of “the dead in Christ,” “those that sleep in Jesus.”
The angels gather the living, but our Lord, who is the chief
reaper here (as He was in the Jewish harvest), gathers or
raises the dead. “I will raise him up;” “I am the resurrec-
tion and the life;” and in harmony with this thought, we
find that in Rev. xiv. 15—‘One like unto the Son of Man,
seated on a cloud,” reaps the earth. Here, two harvests, or
two parts of one harvest, are shown, the second being the
casting of the vine of the earth into the wine-press of His
wrath. The special point to which your attention is called,
however, is the fact that the harvest will gu on without out-
ward demonstration, the chief and under-reapers being pres-
ent but unseen.

THE PRESENCE (PAROUSIA) OF CHRIST

Some may have confounded these remarks on the pres-
ence of Christ in a spiritual body, with the presence of the
spirit of Christ; but they are quite distinct. The latter
never left the church; consequently in that sense He could
not “come again.” Of His spiritual presence he said: “Lo,
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” We
refer to the personal presence which did go away, and will
come again—a spiritual body.

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

Pitrssurcn, Pa.

The Greek word generally used in referring to the second
advent—Parousia, frequently translated coming—invariably
signifies personal presence, as having come, arrived, and never
signifies to be on the way, as we use the word coming. This
fact is recognized by many who are looking for the Lord,
but the error under which the church in general is laboring
is that of supposing that presence implies sight—manifesta-
tion—appearance. In the Greek, however, other words are used
to express revelation, appearing and manifestation, viz:
phaneroo—rendered shall appear in “when He shall appear,
&e,”’—and apokalupsis—rendered, shall be revealed—2 Thess.
i. 7. “When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed.”

But we have Christ’s own words to prove that He will
be present in the world, and the world will not know of it.
Matt. xxiv. 37, we read: “As the days of Noah were, so
shall also the parousia (presence) of the Son of Man be.”
The presence of Christ is not compared to the flood, but to
the days of Noah, the days that were before the flood, as
verse 38 shows; as then they ate, drank, married, etc., and
knew not, so shall also the presence of the Son of Man be.
The resemblance here mentioned is that of not knowing—
they will not know of the presence of Christ. They may
have been wicked then, and doubtless were, and may be sim-
ilarly wicked in His presence; but wickedness is not the
point of comparison. As then they ate, drank, married—
proper enough things to be doing, not sins; so shall it be in
Christ’s presence. Now look at Luke xvii. 26, “As it was in
the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son
of Man.” Verse 27 tells us how it was in the days of Noah,
they were eating, drinking, marrying, etc. ‘So shall it be
in the days of the Son of Man.” Surely the days of the
Son of Man are not before His days, any more than the days
of Henry Clay could be days before he was born. No; the
more we examine the more we are convinced that the world
will go on as usual, and know not until “the harvest is past,
the summer ended,” and they are not in the ark, not with
the little flock “accounted worthy to escape.” There will
be no outward demonstration of the second advent having
begun, and Christ being present, until the church is gath-
ered, whenever it takes place—soon or in the distant future.

We think we have good solid reasons—not imaginations
—not dreams nor visions, but Bible evidences (known to
the majority of our readers) that we are now “in the days
of the Son;” that “the day of the Lord” has come, and
Jesus, a spiritual body, is present, harvesting the Gospel age;
yet, as He had said, the world seeth Him no more; they
eat, drink, etc., and know not. This day of the Lord, in
which “He will show who is that blessed and onlv potentate.
the Lord of Lords and King of Kings,” is already dawning,
but the majority of the professing church, as well as the
world, are asleep; and to them—‘“The day so cometh as a
thief in the night.” “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness.
that that day should come upon you as a thief.” ‘We are
not of the night, therefore let us not sleep as do others,”
This is the signification of our sub-title, “HERALD oF CHRIST’S
PRESENCE.” Not the worldly wise but those humble ones,
wise from heavenly instruction, are meant when it 1s written:
“The wise shall understand,” but “If thou shalt not watch
thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
“Take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with... .
the cares of this life, and so that day come upon YoU wn-
awares.” The events of “the day of God Almighty” wil!
next be considered.

DO YOU WANT “ZION’S WATCH TOWER”?

We have sent out about 6,000 copies each, of the July and
August Nos. of “Zion’s Watch Tower” as samples. This we
cannot continue to do, because first, it is expensive, and second,
we have no desire to waste truth by sending where it is not de-
sired and would not be appreciated. We would like there-
fore to hear from all who want the paper regularly before the
tenth day of August, that we may know what number of copies
to publish for September.

The price is very low in order to suit the purses of the ma-
jority of the interested ones, among whom are “not many rich,”
(for “God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith,
heirs of the kingdom”) and unless a good large list of sub-
seribers are had, fifty cents will fall far short of paying fer
printing, &e.

Do not suppose these remarks to be an appeal for money.
No. “Zion’s Watch Tower” has, we believe, JeHovan for its
backer, and while this is the case it will never beg nor petition
men for support. When He who says: “All the gold and silver
of the mountains are mine,” fails to provide necessary funds,
we will understand it to be time to suspend the publication.

Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today. If
you want the September No. take your pen at once. Remember
that the paper is as free to you if too poor to send the fifty
cents as though you could afford it and paid for it, but we
cannot know your circumstances—You must write also.

Where it is impossible to get paper money, U. 8S. (not
foreign) postage stamps may be sent.

[20]

“GOD IS LOVE”

No. II

“Order is Heaven’s first law.” God has a plan, a sys-
tematic way of doing His work. All human plans laid in
harmony with God’s plan are perfectly safe and certain of
success. God’s work reveals Himself, His wisdom, power
and love. He can be known in no other way. As “the tree
is known by its fruit,” the fountain by the stream, the child
by his doings, and the man by his life; so God’s great Gift,
and the work executed by Him, reveal the fulness of His
love for man. God’s plan is one of both revelation and
salvation. He reveals Himself as a means of eternal life
to man. “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”
John 17-3. Jesus Christ is most emphatically the way of
God’s approach to us; the channel through which light and
salvation flow within our reach, and also the way of our
approach to God. He is thus the Mediator—“the way, the
truth and the life.’ The glory of Christ’s position and
work, and our absolute dependence on Him, will be ap-
preciated if we bear in mind that all we know of God is re-
vealed in Christ, and “no man cometh to the Father except
by Him.” Christ in every stage is called the “Word.” Of
the pre-existent state it is said, “In the beginning was the
Word.” John i. 1. By whom God spoke all things into
existence, and for whom also they were created. Of the
first advent—more properly the Incarnation—it is said: ‘The
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,.... full of
grace and truth.” Ver. 14. And at His future glorious
epiphany—‘“the manifestation of the Sons of God,” [Rom.
viii. 19]—as the Bridegroom and the Bride “glorified to-
gether,” [ver. 17,] when at the head of that glorious “army
in heaven,” He goes forth “conquering and to conquer,”
He still is called “The Word of God.” Rev. xix. 13. The
“Word” is an expression proceeding from God, and going
forth to man, and in all the ages of redemption, He is as a
stream from the Eternal Fountain; proving that “the
merey of the Lord endureth forever;” and as the “Arm of
the Lord’? made bare and extended to help, until “all the
ends of the earth shall sce the salvation of our God.” Isa.
li. 10. “I am the Truth,’ said Jesus. The Word is the
Truth spoken or expressed. The Bible is God’s Word, be-
cause it reveals the Lord Jesus Christ, and the great plan
of salvation. It contains and reveals Christ, as He con-
tains and reveals the Father; hence, “he that heareth my
words and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting
life.” &e. John v. 24.

The Lord Jesus is the Spirit of the Word, [2 Cor., iii. 17,]
the golden thread of revelation from end to end, even in the
writings of Moses, [John v. 46-47,] but hidden by the let-
ter as a vail from the unbelieving Jew, [2 Cor., iii. vi. 13-18,j
and from all others who cannot “discern spiritual things,”
“the deep [covered] things of God.”

“The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God, for thev are foolishness unto him, neither can he
know them for they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. ii. 14.
The ability to discern spiritual things must depend on the
extent to which our minds are controlled by the spirit of
God, [ver. 11.] Christ is not only the golden thread of
revelation. but the foundation on which the structure of the
Word is built, and of the plan of the ages.

The poet must have had a glimpse of the grandeur of

the plan and of Christ’s relation to it when he penned the
hymn entitled “Rock of Ages.”

“By whom, also, He made the worlds” [aionios, ages].
Heb. i. 2. The plan and all things were formed not only by
Him, but for Him. (Col. i. 16.) The plan of salvation is
truly the plan of the ages which God formed for His Son;
and to know God and Christ fully, we must know their plan
of work. The work is moved by and expresses their love;
therefore, the better we understand the plan and work, the
more we will appreciate the love. God’s love known—“shed
abroad in our hearts”—produces love to Him in return. “We
love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John iv. 19. And
as God’s love shows itself in his works, so will our love show
itself in our works. “If ye love me keep my command-
ments.” John xiv, 15. “If ye keep my commandments,
ye shall abide in my love, &e.” John xv. 10. “These
things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain
in you and that your joy might be full. This is my com-
mandment: That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
[V. 11-12.] The Lord cares for our joy and comfort. He
asks only what is for our good—‘“reasonable service,” and yet
He asks all—“your bodies a living sacrifice.’ Rom. xii. 1.
Self denial, under the Lord’s direction, is the surest means
of happiness. ‘Perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John iv. 18.
Year is not a good motive to obedience. Loving obedience is an
expression involving both heart and life. The unfaithful ser-
vant who hid his lord’s money said, “I feared thee.” He be-
lieved the lord unjust because he was unjust himself. “Out of
thine own mouth will I judge thee.” Luke xix. 20-22. As fear
was the cause of unfaithfulness, so love is the cause of faith-
fulness. The one that knows God and His plan of the ayes,
cannot be afraid of the Lord, nor believe Him unjust. “Ac-
quaint, now, thyself with Him and be at peace.” “Oh, taste
and see that God is good! Whoso trusts in Him is blest.” That
some love the Lord and serve Him, who know but little of God
or His plans, there can be no doubt; and even babes in Christ
are dear to the Master; He carries the lambs in His bosom like
a tender shepherd. But we are not always to remain babes,
but grow up into Christ as men of full stature. Eph. iv. 13-
15. “Leaving the [first] principles, let us yo on to perfec-
tion.” Heb. vi. 1. We would not discourage any, however
weak or ignorant, who sincerely love the Lord; [and none
of us but may yet learn more,] but we would encourage
all to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ.” 2 Pet. i111. 18. In order to grow we must be
fed, and with the “bread of God.” “I am the Bread of Life.”
“Tt am the Truth,” said Jesus, and also, “Man shall not live
by bread alone, [natural,] but by every word that proceed-
eth out of the mouth of God.” Oh. that we all may search
for the truth, eat it, digest it, grow strong, and be faithful
in the work of the Lord. Until we are sure that we know
all that God has revealed in Christ and His word, there can
be no stopping place, or time to stand still. Walk, run,
strive, fight, press on in the path “that shineth more and
more, even unto the perfect day,” [Prov. iv. 18,] keeping
our eyes on “the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.” [Phil. iii. 14.] To appreciate which,
it will be necessary to know God’s love as revealed in the
plan of the ages.

J. H. P.

ONLY WAITING

Only waiting till the dawning
Is a little brighter grown,
Only waiting till the shadows
Of the world’s dark night are flown,
Till the shadows all shall vanish.
In the blessed, blessed day;
For the morn, at last, is breaking
Through the twilight, soft and gray.

Only waiting till the presence
Of the Sun of Righteousness,
Shall dispel the noxious vapors,
Ignorance, and prejudice.
Till the glory of the sunlight,
Of the bright Millennial day,
Seatters all the powers of darkness:
Lights the gloom with healing ray.

Waiting for the Restitution,
Promised in the Holy Word;
When a once-lost race restored, shall
Know and love their Saviour Lord.
When each man shall love his fellow;
Justice give to great and small;
Dwell in love and dwell in Jesus;
He in us, God all in all.
—From “Songs of the Bride.”

(5-6)

[21]

THE AGES

The plan of salvation comprehended in the three worlds,
is progressive in its character, requiring ages for its devel-
opment. There seems to have been but one age definitely
marked in the world before the flood, but this present world
is sub-divided into three ages. The first, Patriarchal or
one-man age, in which only one man at a time represented
the Lord as ruler of the family; (in this it was similar to
the age before the flood.) The second, Jewish, or the twelve
tribe period, for in it, or from Jacob’s death, the last pa-
triarch, until the death of Christ, the tribes of Israel repre-
sented the Lord’s cause, and were reckoned His people.
The third, beginning at Christ’s resurrection and reaching to
His second coming, usually known as the Gospel age, during
which the Lord turns to the Gentiles to take out a people
for His name, i. e., the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, the Church.

This brings us to the beginning of the world to come,
which is, in God’s purpose, subjected to the Bride made
ready and glorified together with Christ; and it also is
divided into ages, the first of which may be the thousand
years’ reign, (Rev. 20,) or that reign may include more
than one dispensation. We would not speak of the order of
future events with as much confidence as of the past, but
it is evident that the period after the Lord’s coming and
exaltation of the Bride, is not as some say, “One Eternal
Age,” for Paul in speaking of that exaltation and the object
of it, says it is. “That in the ages (aionios) to come He
might show the exceeding riches of His grace.” (Eph. ii. 7.)
In the worlds and ages we thus have an outline of the
plan, a bird’s-eye view of its development, and a glimpse at
the glorious outcome. We may thus be prepared for a more
particular study of the work of the various ages, and be
better able to appreciate the progressive character of reve-
lation.

Each age is a step in the plan, and each step higher
than the preceding one. “Onward and upward” is a motto
based on the spirit of God’s plan. Each age is a period
of time, and each period has its own peculiar dispensation,
or work of God. The object of the Lord, by the various
dispensations of wisdom, power and love, is to reveal Him-
self, and so save mankind. God deals with the race in
some respects, as with an individual, adapting His truth
to the capacity, as in infancy, youth and manhood, which
will explain why some things are stated as they must ap-
pear to man, rather than the absolute truth, which can only
be received by a mind made perfect. Thus the sun is said to
rise and set; and the unchangeable God is said to repent
that He had made man, as if the work of infinite wisdom
had proved a failure.

The Lord spoke to man as parents are compelled to talk
to their children, coming down to their apprehension.

Some think this is deception or lying, but we view it
differently. It is making a vague impression rather than
none at all. Tell a little one that the sun stands still and
the earth moves, and he is confused, for he will believe his
own sense or what appears true to his own eyes, rather
than what is told him.

Revelation is not designed to teach the science of astron-
omy, or anything else which man can discover himself by
the use of his natural powers. God helps us only when we
cannot help ourselves.

It is on this principle of adaptation that God teaches
by symbols, figures, types and shadows, representing the
real or spiritual truth by natural objects. The truth is in
some respects hidden that it may be revealed, contradictory
as this may seem at first thought. It is hidden for a season
and made plain in due time. He spoke in dark sayings and
parables, giving occasionally the key which would open them
when applied. With a smoked glass, which obscures the
light, we can see the sun better than with the naked eye.
God in Christ can be known, but without a mediator he is
unsearchable.

Before the Jewish age the Lord appeared as a man; but
the law was by the disposition of angels; but “in these last
days, He has spoken to us by His Son.” When it can be
realized that the incarnation, or “God manifest in the
flesh,’ was a culmination of the same principle of teaching
spiritual things by the natural, as God had used from the
beginning, the unity of the Bible will be vindicated, and
confidence in it as a divine revelation established.

However much the stream of truth may be soiled by
handling, it but shows the nature of the soil through which
it has flowed, while the sparkling jewels it contains reveals
its heavenly origin.

The truth is revealed in a progressive manner, accord-
ing to the plan of ages. Take one line of thought for ex-
ample: when sin, by one man, had entered, and all its

(4S)

dark consequences entailed upon humanity, the first ray of
light and hope dawned upon our race in the form of a
threatening against the Tempter—“Her seed shall bruise thy
head,” &c. Here is confessedly the whole plan in a nutshell:
The Conqueror, the struggle, resistance, and the final vic-
tory. The figure used means death to the Serpent, and in its
execution, can signify no less than the extirpation of all
that hideous monster represents. It points to a clean uni-
verse, when both sin and death shall be no more. But
what could Eve know about it? It was not addressed to
her, but to the Tempter. It was a threatening, not a prom-
ise; though containing, as in germ, the whole plan of sal-
vation.

The dimness of that light was the characteristic of the
whole age. Let us follow the light and observe its develop-
ment. Two thousand years pass before we find the promise,
“In thy seed shall all kindreds of the earth be blessed.”
This is the same great plan. That was a curse, this a
blessing; but curse to the Serpent means blessing to the
nations. This is an increase of light on the same subject,
and yet how dim. We, living at this late day, know that
seed was Christ. (Gal. iii. 16.) This is the Holy Spirit’s
definition of the promise. But the wording of the promise
made it refer to Isaac or, in other words, “the seed according
to the flesh.” It may be said the promise had a double mean-
ing—natural and spiritual. True, but the natural was all that
could fairly be drawn from the words, and the spiritual was
kept out of sight until] the true seed had come. Isaac and
Christ are to each other as the natural and the spiritual.
Here, as everywhere, the order holds good; first the natural
and then the spiritual. The natural is the basis, being first;
Christ came through Isaac. The greater in thia sense proceeds
from the less. ‘The elder shall serve the younger.” From the
lower to the higher is God’s order, and all these facts prove
the progressive character of God’s plan.

The Spirit reveals also the fact that the “Seed” compre-
hends not one person only, but many persons united as one.
Let special thought be given to this fact. It is much
neglected. Truths of great value are obscure on account of
this neglect.

This many in one is true of the natural as well as the
spiritual. The Jews were the natural seed, and the whole
age was used for their development. The Christian Church
is the spiritual seed and an age is used for their develop-
ment. aul contrasts them thus: “They which are the
children of the flesh are not the children of God; but the
children of the promise are counted for the seed.”? Rom. ix.
8. Not one child, but children! Who are they? Gal. iv.
28, answers: “Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the
children of the promise.” Then it follows that “we breth-
ren” are the seed.

During the Jewish age, while the natura] seed was being
developed, the law and the prophets bare witness, and the
light increased, but only the spiritually minded could dis-
cern the deeper truth. The mass saw only the natural,
and were led to expect an earthly glory; hence, they re-
jected their Messiah when He came. It is true He came
in the flesh, as a part of the Jewish nation, and fulfilled
such prophecies as related to His sufferings in the flesh, but
these were overlooked as not in harmony with their desires;
(see Isa. lili.) and to them, in their blindness, it was as if
He had not fulfilled them. Christ fulfilled, “First the nat-
ural,” and did not enter fully upon the spiritual until he
was born from the dead, “quickened (made alive) by the
spirit,’ which was in Him before he died.

The true seed, destined to “bruise the Serpent’s head,”
and bless the nations, is both spiritual and immortal. Jesus
is the Firstborn into that condition, and is appointed Head
of immortal mankind—the second Adam. (As shown before,
the natural is the basis of the spiritual, and man having
forfeited his natural life, it is necessary that the natural
man should be redeemed from death to give opportunity for
development into the higher life. This redemption is a pre-
paratory feature of Christ’s work, and for this purpose He
gave His life a ransom. Thus Christ is restorer of the old
race as well as Head of the new race.)

During the Gospel dispensation and by the spirit of
Christ, the members of the body are being prepared, and
during the sounding of the seventh trumpet they will all
be rewarded. Rev. xi. 18.

“They that are Christ’s at his (parousia) presence.”

These, made one with Him even as He is one with His
Father, (John xvii. 21-22,) constitute the seed.—‘‘Heaven’s
conquering army.” Rev. xix. 14. The work of the seed must
follow the complete development of the seed. Overlooking
this fact has led thousands to suppose God’s plan of sal-

[22]

Aucus?, 1879

vation terminates at the second coming of Christ. From
what has been written it may be seen that God does not
begin to save the world (proper) until then. The work of
ages past has been the calling out of a few, under discip-
line, for a high position. Oh, what a responsible place
we occupy, to whom the light of the good news has come.
Our position in the kingdom depends on our faithfulness.
The crown and reign are to those who suffer and overcome.

DAILY

“Give us this day our daily bread,” is the first petition
for self allowed by the Saviour. This is fundamental, as
“bread is the staff of life.’ We need food daily, to supply
the constant waste, and thus sustain the life. This peti-
tion is an expression of our conscious dependence on “our
Father” as the Giver. He knoweth that we have need of
these things, and is constantly supplying the wants of even
the prayerless and the unthankful. But the grateful ones
know that they enjoy the blessings as they never did until
they learned to look up.

If any one supposes that this, or any other prayer, will
be answered while we remain in negligent misuse or disuse
of the means appointed for the attainment of such blessings,
he will be disappointed. God helps us to help ourselves.
If God gives the increase, it is also necessary that Paul
and Apollos should plant and water. To ask aright, im-
plies that we are willing to receive the blessing in the
Father’s way, and truly the spirit of prayer will prompt
the heart and nerve the arm for needed toil. That the Lord
helps the helpless oftentimes, by more than ordinary means,
we cannot doubt; and many of the Lord’s poor, but “rich in
faith,” have proved to their great satisfaction the value
of prayer.

What philosophy may not teach, and philosophers deny,
because they can in their sphere deal only with natural or
ordinary laws and means, is yet known to be a reality by
those trained to a higher sphere of thought and experi-
ence, being “led of the spirit of God.”

To deny the supernatural is not uncommon, even by those
who would not dare to accept its legitimate conclusion—
Atheism. From God’s standpoint nothing is supernatural.
All is below Him. What is above our range of thought or
comprehension is to us miraculous. Let men deny the
miracles who are are wholly unconscious of the existence
of spiritual beings. The existence of such beings involves
the existence of spiritual laws, which in operation will pro-
duce effects as much above the laws with which mortals
are familiar, as the Jaws themselves are higher. That the
spiritual has power over the natural, is as true as that
mind controls matter; and what we call a miracle, is a
manifestation of the superiority of the spiritual over the
natural in an unusual way; a glimpse of that, which to
all who ever enter the higher plane of existence, will then
appear simple, and as easily understood at least as the opera-
tion of laws on the plane of the flesh. It required no more
power to feed the multitude by a miracle, than to produce
the same amount of food by the ordinary law of growth.
The use of miracles was to show that He who performed them
was Divine; the same One by whom and for whom all things
were created. Prayer, which is by the spirit, is a connect-
ing link between us and heaven; a cause, which, in its sphere,
is as effective as plowing or sowing on the earthly plane, and
opening the windows of heaven brings the blessing down.

An answer to prayer does not prove that God is change-
able, any more than the fact that faithful labor will secure
temporal blessings, while the sluggard will suffer want.

There is another line of thought suggested by this peti-
tion. As bread is the staff of natural life, so it is used to
represent the support of the spiritual life. This use of the
term is quite common in the Bible: ‘Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word of God,” said the Saviour
in answer to the temptation. “I am the Truth,” and “TI
am the bread of life; comparison will show that the truth
and bread are used interchangeably. “He that eateth me
shall live by me;” “and except ye eat of the flesh of the

One personal struggle and conquest over self will be of
more benefit than listening to a hundred sermons or sing-

ZION’S WATCH TOWER (5)

But what an encouragement to endure all—ours is indeed
a high calling. Many are the titles given the church of
Christ in the Word, but none so endearing as the “Bride,
the Lamb’s Wife.”

To realize the glory and excellence of such a position
in prospect, must prove the antidote to melancholy and
worldliness, and be the strongest motive to faithfulness.

Ji dta os

BREAD

Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”
That this is spiritual life, begotten by the word of
truth, and sustained by the same word, I think no Chris-
tian will deny. While it is true and necessary that Christ
should literally take the flesh and blood of man, that He
should “taste death for every man,’ and by means of death
destroy the captor and deliver the captives from the bonds
of the same natural death, or, in other words, restore the
natural life; (Heb. ii.) it is also true, that as the natural
life represents the spiritual, these same terms, “flesh and
blood,” are used to represent the bread of spiritual life.

The Bible clearly teaches the recovery of all from the loss
by Adam, unconditionally; as they were not responsible
for the curse, they are made partakers of that restoration
without their choice, but it is necessary to obey the truth
in order to secure the spiritual life, and consequent eternal
salvation.

We need daily bread spiritually, as well as naturally.
Regular eating, and working too, are essential to either
natural or spiritual health. The lack of nourishment brings
weakness, sickness and death in either life.

“If ye live after the flesh ye shall die,” (Rom. viii. 13,)
spoken, as it was, to Christians, indicates the danger to
which we are exposed if we neglect eating and working.
That some are what we might call spiritual dyspeptics is
doubtless true. They eat, but work not. Like some of old,
they spend all their time either learning or telling some
new thing. They manifest a greater eagerness for new
ideas, than to make a good use of what they have already.
Such are in danger, we think, of holding the truth in un-
righteousness. But while this is true of a few extremists,
the mass of professing Christians take the other extreme
and eat not at all, or at best so sparingly that they are
dying of starvation. Some use milk freely, 1. e. the “First
Principles” of the doctrine of Christ, Heb. v. 12 and vi. 1. 2,
which is all right for beginners; as babes in Christ de-
siring the “sincere milk of the word, that they may grow
thereby,” 1 Pet. ii. 2, (and it is not improbable that an
occasional cup of milk is good even for grown folks,) but
grown men need stronger food; (Heb. v. 14,) and the
apostle urges the brethren to advance from the foundation,
(building on it of course, which no one can do till they have
accepted and obeyed the first principles,) going on uwnto
perfection. Heb. vi. 1. From the necessary relation be-
tween food and its results. we may well infer that the
perfection here mentioned has reference to both knowl-
edge and character. “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There is doubtless much given for milk that savors but
little of Paul’s definition; the high sounding essays on
scientific subjects, aside from the science of revelation, may
tickle the fancy and educate the intellect, “but starve the
soul;” they do not feed the spiritual life. Some hungry
ones are erying for bread, but the ery reaches not the ear
of a worldly ministry; it does reach the ear of the Lord
of the poor in spirit, who has said, “Blessed are they that
hunger,....for they shall be filled.” But the mass scem
more than content to spend their money for that which is
not bread. Isa. lv. 2. The satisfaction and joy of those
who live by faith on the Son of God is solid, compared to
the passing ripple of emotion caused by mere religious excite-
ment. Excitement must subside, but truth and its joys abide.

Advancing with the light in the shining way. receiving
the truth as our “daily bread,” we can “rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God.” Oo. Ae PB,

ing a hundred hymns. It is not so much what we learn as
what we practice that benefits us.

[23]

ON

Many friends of the Bible, instead of regarding it as
containing a system of truth, look upon it as a compilation
of facts, commandments and promises, that are not susceptible
of arrangement. Such persons are weak and vacillating, and
often at the mercy of the bold unbeliever, who finds in his
“God of Nature” the embodiment of law and order. He sees
order in Geology, Astronomy and other sciences, but only
confusion in the Bible, and he rightly reasons that God’s
works should be harmonious. He knows the principles of
those sciences, and can read the book of nature, we will
suppose (though but few are free from the domination of
leaders who give us ideas second hand), but he knows little,
if anything, of the plan of the Bible, and therefore cannot
read it. One man has as much right to reject Astronomy
because he cannot understand it, as another man has to
reject. the Bible for the same reason.

What is confusion when not understood, becomes when
explained beautiful and harmonious,

Because, while learning, men differ and quarrel over
their opinions does not militate against the truth of any
system. If men were more fully controlled by the Spirit of
Christ, they could differ in opinion without quarreling.

Until absolute knowledge is gained, each ray of light
will at least modify former ideas.

To understand any science or book it should be read accord-
ing to its own principles of interpretation. “No prophecy
of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” 2 Pet.
i. 21. Moved by one Spirit it should be taken as a whole,
and not disconnectedly. If we would compare scripture
with scripture, we would learn that—

“God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.”

We affirm that a piece-meal interpretation is the cause
of confusion in the Christian world, and gives rise to the
profane proverb that “the Bible is just like an old fiddle
on which any tune may be played.” Very few pretend to
use much of the Bible; only a few practical precepts, and
enough to prove the particular creed, are valued by the
many. They virtually blame the Lord for giving a large
hook when a small one would have been all-sufficient.

The practice of many in teaching is no more consistent
than was that of the old Negro who made Paul vindicate
him in theft: “Let him that stole, steal.” The words, “no
more,” did not suit his purpose. The writer remembers
hearing a minister (Shall I say of Christ?) preach a sermon
against the doctrine of justification by faith from the words:
“To him that worketh is the reward.” Rom. iv. 4. The
perversion will be apparent to all that will read the context.

We do not accuse men, generally, of dishonesty; we are
glad to believe that all parties have some truth, and that
they defend their errors with sincerity. None of us are per-
fect in knowledge, and doubtless all have in the past sin-
cerely believed to be truth, and earnestly defended what
is now regarded as error. This should make us feel kindly
toward all who differ with us, and who cannot yet see all
we can see.

The sects are too much like men backing into a corner,
and defending themselves with a text.

A text is of no value as proof of a doctrine unless its
place in the plan of the ages be understood. The Calvinist,
Arminian or Universalist may readily find a text that will

INTERPRETATION

seem to sustain his theory; and the Infidel will say the
three texts contradict each other. Each disputant will pass
lightly over or ignore the proof-texts of the others, and so
sustain his own theory at all hazard.

If the Bible is true there must be a theory which will
make use of all these texts, and belittle none of them.
There is a theory which claims to do this, and the foundation
of that theory is a plan of the ages. Would that all lovers
of truth understood that theory, and the plan on which it is
based. In the search for truth it becomes necessary to dis-
criminate between Bible language and “home made scrip-
ture” or pulpit phraseology. The Bible does not claim to
be so plain that everybody can understand it. “But if
God intended the word for man’s use, why has He not made
it plain?” I ask, Why are the gold, the coal and the iron
hidden deep in the earth? Why are all things of value made
difficult of attainment? There is a question of character in-
volved in it. Desire, will, energy, determination and faith-
fulness will be rewarded.

Some truths lie on the surface and are easily understood,
being adapted to the conditions of childhood physically and
spiritually. These properly used are as “milk for babes,”
and give strength for work, growth and further search.
But to become as men in the knowledge of God, we must cry
after it, seek it as silver, and search for it as for hid treas-
ures. (Prov. ii, 1-5.) As the word is arranged as food for
the individual as babe, young man and aged, so is it of the
race in its different stages of development. It will assist
us if we remember that the Bible was not written for one
man, nor for one age, but for all men and all ages, adapted
to the circumstances as “meat in due season.” Thus the
“word is a lamp to our feet,” giving light for present need ;
and “The path of the just is as a shining light that shineth
more and more unto the perfect day.” Prov. iv. 18. Many
do not understand how the Bible could be so written as to
remain dark for a time, and then gradually unfold its truth
as a burning lamp; but the fact of its being so is to all
that understand it an unanswerable argument in favor of
its inspiration by the foreseeing spirit of God. In Dan. xii.
is given an example clear and simple.

The truths concerning the “time of the end” are said to
be “shut up and sealed” until that time. Then “know!-
edge shall be increased,” and “the wise shall understand,”

CREAT S eo Heng One aor Sener (Dan. Xi.
35), and opened the way for a multitude of improvements

and the increase of knowledge. Of course those who have
the spirit of truth love it, and search for it, will learn
when others will fail, but the wisest and best of Christians
could not gain accurate knowledge on this subject until the
seal of that book was broken at the time appointed of the
Father.

We are not more intelligent or pious than our fathers,
even if it be true as we claim that we have advanced truths.
Let all bear in mind that “to whom much is given much is
required.” If we are advanced in truth we should also be
advanced in holiness, and obedience to God’s will is an im-
portant aid in knowing the truth. John vii. 17.

He that values reputation more than truth, how can he
believe? John v. 44. J. H. P.

DIFFICULTIES

There are some very dark and strange things in the Bible—
things which to many seem irreconcilable with the character
af justice and love which we ascribe to our Heavenly Father.
“Cod is love,’ and “by the grace of God Christ tasted death
for every man.” “He is the propitiation for our sins, and also
for the sins of the whole world.”

Why then did Christ say to His disciples: “Go not in the
wav of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter
ve not” &e.? Matt. x. 5. Again, He always spake to the
multitude in parables, and explained them to the disciples. Be-
cause “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the
Kingdom of God, but to them that are without all these things
are done in parables. lest they should see, hear, understand:
be converted and their sins should be forgiven them.” Mark
iv. 11-12.

Perhaps you would rather not Jook at such facts, my
Arminian brother, Here is election with a certainty. I can
remember when I wished such statements were not in the
Bible. But facts cannot be set aside by shutting our eyes, and

($6)

we must face them. If we can not harmonize these statements
with our theories, as the Bible is true, our theories must be
false. If Christ had wanted the multitudes to be converted by
His preaching, He would have preached to them so they would
have understood Him. The same text implicitly teaches the
necessity of understanding the truth in order to be converted.
He says He spoke in parables so they would not understand
und be converted. Now who can believe for a moment that
these multitudes were to be eternally lost because Christ, the
loving Son of the God of love, withheld the bread of life from
them? Do you wonder, my Christian brother, in view of popu-
lar teaching, that the church and world are flooded with in-
fidels? I say, Here is election; and my Calvinistic brother re-
joices in the confirmation of his theory.

But why did the Lord choose a few? If I have no right to
ask such a question the Lord will not answer me, but He
speaks in words of explanation. They are “called according
to His purpose.” Rom. viii. 14-28. But has He revealed His
purpose? Do not think that because He chooses only a few

[24]

(6) ZION’S WATCH TOWER

for a “purpose” that He means to torment or destroy eternally
all the rest. Among the “little flock” chosen are no irrespon-
sible persons incapable of believing, for the word says: “God
hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” 2 Thess.
i. 13. And yet it it nowhere taught that any but responsible,
guilty rebels will be lost eternally.

Remember the few are not called merely because He pur-
posed to call them, but He calls them for a purpose. Like a
wise mechanic who makes an implement, He has an object in
view; there is a use to which it has reference; and that object
controlled the original choice. We freely affirm that the prin-
ciple underlying the choice of God is: The few are chosen for
the good of the many. Christ Himself is chosen of God, and
precious, (1 Pet., ii. 4) and all admit that He is “anointed”
and “exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour.” In Him the full-
ness of blessing dwells. To the twelve He said: “Ye have not
chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye
should go and bring forth fruit.” John xv. 16. The Jewish
“remnant,” the “sheep” that heard and knew “his voice” and
were His “according to the election of grace.” (Rom. xi. 5)
were in fact the nucleus around which the gospel church was
afterward gathered, and it was proved that “Salvation is of
the Jews.” John iv. 22.

Paul was chosen of the Lord “to bear His name before the
Gentiles,” (Acts ix. 15) and to be for salvation to the ends of
the earth.

All the chosen—even the whole church—are chosen in Him,
and consequently with reference to the same object—the bless-
ing of others.

If any one thinks God has chosen him and given him light
and salvation for his own sake merely, he greatly mistakes his
calling. If God gives light it is that it may shine that others
may see and be blest. What is true individually is true also
of the church collectively and dispensationally. The purpose
for which the church is called is revealed both directly and
indirectly in the New Testament. “Then shall the righteous
shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.”
(Matt. xiii. 43.) To shine now and then, can mean no less

PITTSBURGH, Pa

than to give light. And if the church give, the nations receive,
and “walk in the light of it.” Rev. xxi. 24. “It is more
blessed to give than to receive.” The church are predestinated
to a work—‘“the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Him-
self.” (Eph. i. 5.) Christ the Father and the church the
mother of the family of children by the laws of spiritual re-
generation. We are well aware that this text gives no such
idea to the most of readers; but the fact that elsewhere Christ
and the church are said to be related to each other as husband
and wife gives good ground for the application. The great
work is called the “mystery of His will” made known to us,
“which He hath purposed in Himself.” “That in the dispensa-
tion of the fullness of times He might gather together in one
all things in Christ.” (vs. 9-10.) The object of God in rais-
ing up the body of Christ to the level of the Head is expressly
stated to be: “That in the ages to come He might show the
exceeding riches of his grace.” Eph. ii. 7.

In view of the purpose for which we are chosen, the doc-
trine of election is a glorious doctrine, and our calling is well
named “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. iit. 14.
Oh! that all Christians might have “the eyes of their under-
standing enlightened,” that they might “know what is the hope
of His calling.” (Eph. i. 18.) They would not grovel here any
longer, nor their souls go heavily in the heavenly journey.
They need no longer be afraid to look at the supposed “‘dif-
ficulties,’ nor wish such passages were not in the Bible. They
are parts of a great system of truth which would be marred
without them. God is a God of order. The plan of salvation
is under the laws of order. As in the natural, so in the spirit-
ual family. Christ the second Adam, both husband and father
is developed first. Next in order comes the church as both
wife and mother. And after the marriage, which takes place
at the Second Advent, the whole family of man will be re-
generated (excepting willful rejectors). This view explains
why He did not and does not call all at once. We vindicate
the plan of God as revealed. by showing that it is in harmony
with itself, and is a grand proof, when complete, of the funda-
mental statement of the Bible—“‘God is Love.” J. H. P.

EXHORTATION

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are
spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, con-
sidering thyself lest thou also be tempted.” Gal. vi. 12.

“And above all things, have fervent charity among your
selves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter,
iv. 8.

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which
no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently, lest any fail
of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up,
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Heb. xii. 14, 15.

“Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,
long-suffering; forbearing one another and forgiving one an-
other, if any have a quarrel against any. Even as Christ for-
gave you, so also do ye. And above all these things, put on
charity, which is the bond of perfectness; and let the peace of
God rule in vour hearts to the which, also, ye are called in
one body; and be ye thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell
in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Col. iii. 12-17.

“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Col.
iv. 6.

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SEPTEMBER, 1879

‘“‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by
him, knowing that of the Lord ve shall receive the reward, for
ye serve the Lord Jesus Christ.” Col. iti. 17-24.

“For, brethren ye have been called unto liberty; only use
not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one
another.

“For al] the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; but if ve bite and
devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one
of another.” Gal. v. 13-16.

“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your
faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if when ve do well and
suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
For even hereunto were ye called. because Christ also suffered
for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in his
steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth;
who when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered.
h~ threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously.” 1 Peter ii. 20-21-24.

“Therefore. let them that suffer according to the will of
God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing.
as unto a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter iv. 19.

Therefore, by love let us serve one another.

H. B. M. Lannts.

a

No. 3

THE DAY OF THE LORD

“The great day of his wrath is come, who shall be able to stand?”’—Rev. vi. 17.

“The day of the Lord” is a scriptural name for a period of
time during which the Gospel and Millennial ages lap; the
one ending, the other commencing. Concerning it we read—
“The day of the Lord is a day of darkness, and there is no
light in it;” “That day is a day of trouble;” “Woe unto you
that desire the day of the Lord.” It is “The great day of His
wrath.” This dark day is at once the closing scene of the

night of weeping, and the dawn of the morning of joy. We
desire your attention not merely to the Scripture evidence that
there will be such a day, or time, but especially to the events
that will transpire during that day, and their chronological
order.

This time of trouble comes first upon the church, afterward
upon the world; but in our examination we shall reverse this

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(1-2)

order; considering first the trouble of the nations during “the
day of the Lord.” This is a natural consequence of the trans-
fer of authority and rulership from the “Devil, who is the
prince of this world,” [age] to “Him whose right it is”—Christ
—-who, in the beginning of the Millennial age, “takes to Him-
self His great power and reigns;”—‘“‘And the nations were
angry and thy wrath is come.” Read along connectedly. Rev.
xi. 17.

Unquestionably the kingdoms of this world are loyal to
their prince. They are mainly controlled by evil, selfish, cor-
rupt men, the agents and representatives of the “Prince of
darkness,” who do his will.

When the new Prince takes control, the dominion is to be
given into new hands, and the Lord proclaims: “I will over-
throw the throne of kingdoms and [I will destroy the kingdoms
of the Gentiles.” Hag. ii. 22.

Thus by “breaking in pieces’—throwing down—‘the king-
doms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His
Christ,” who shall reign forever. Rev. xi. 15. Under the new
rule there will be new rulers, and we read, “The saints of the
Most High shall take the kingdom, (dominion) and possess the
kingdom forever.” Daniel vii. 18. Again “All nations, tongues,
people, etc., shall serve and obey Him.” At present they do
not, and they must be brought, by chastisement, to submission ;
and this is accomplished in “The day of the Lord.” The over-
throw of nations and society will necessarily involve individual
trouble. But, “when the judgments of the Lord are in the
earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

The trouble is graphically described by the Prophet: “That
day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of
wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess.
I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind
men, because they have sinned against the Lord. Neither their
silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them, in the day
of the Lord’s wrath.” Zeph. i. 15. “Therefore wait ye upon
me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey:
for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may
assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation,
even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured
with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the
people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name
of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent.” Zeph. iii. 8. So
extreme is the trouble here described, that the world is said
to be burned up by the Lord’s anger—yet it has a good effect,
for after all the indignation against and destruction of govern-
ments, the people remain [the destruction is that of govern-
ment life,] and having experienced the misrule of the ‘Prince
of this world” they are prepared to have the Lord take “His
great power and rule,” and to “serve the Lord with one
consent.”

We expect that this distress and trouble will all come
about in a very natural way. One prophet gives us a key to
its cause by saying: ‘There shall be no hire for man nor hire
for beast ;—~but every man’s hand against his neighbor.” Very
many Scriptures seem to teach that the kingdoms of earth
will be overthrown by a rising of the people: goaded to des-
peration from lack of employment and seeking relief from the
oppression of bloodthirsty governments. Such a rising and
overturning, Socialists, Communists, and Nihilists of today
would gladly bring about if they could. Now the Scripture
recognizes wrong and oppression as existing in the nations and
foretells this as the way in which they will be overthrown,
and says: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the
misery that shall come upon you. Ye have heaped treasure
together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers,
which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth.” Jas. v. 1. Yet
it does not recognize this Communism as right but the con-
trary rather instructing believers to “obey the powers that be”
as long as they last, saying to us—‘‘Be patient, therefore,
brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.”

Rev. vi. 15, figuratively describes that time of falling of
kingdoms when every mountain (kingdom) and island shall
he moved. The kings and chief ones as well as bondmen will
recognize in this trouble that “The great day of His wrath is
come,” and will seek to make alliances and to hide themselves
from the sure coming storm. They will seek to be covered and
protected by the great mountains (kingdoms,) of earth and to
be hid in the great rocks of this world’s societies, (Masonic,
Odd Fellows, &c.,) but they shall not be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s anger, for “all the kingdoms of the
world shall be thrown down, and instead of these mountains
(kingdoms) “the kingdom of the Lord becomes a great moun-
tain, and fills the whole earth.” Daniel ii. 35, 45. Malachi,
iv. 1, describes the coming day of trouble and sees the anger of
the Lord there displayed—“the fire of God’s jealousy.” “Be-
hold the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the

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PirTrsBurGH, Pa.

proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day
that cometh shall burn them up.” Here the wicked are sym-
bolized by stubble, God’s wrath by fire, and the righteous by
“calves of the stall.” vs, 2.

Peter (iii. 10, 12.) describes this—‘“Day of the Lord,” and
under symbol of heavens, refers to the governments. (“The
heavens do rule.”’) “But the day of the Lord will come as a
thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away
with a great noise, [overthrow of governments with great con-
fusion] and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The
earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned
up.” [The elements of the (heavens) governments as well as
of (earth) society in general, will be dissolved in the great
trouble (fire) of that day. The word here translated elements
is the same that Paul uses in speaking of “the beggarly ele-
ments of this world.” Gal. iv. 9.]

Scripture teaches that in the Millennial age fleshly Israel
will be the chief nation, “The joy of the whole earth.” And we
find that whilst other nations fall during the day of the Lord,
they gradually come into prominence until in the latter part
of that “day of wrath;” when “the battle of the great day” is
fought, we find “Jerusalem safely inhabited, her people having
much cattle and goods.” They will doubtless go to Palestine,
not through respect to promises of God, nor with the expecta-
tion of restoration to national power, but with true Jewish
perception they will realize, before others, the dangers to which
property, etc., will be exposed, during this overthrow of order
and they will choose to be far away from the strongholds of
communism. Yet even there they will not be secure; for Gog
and his bands say, “Come let us go up, to take a spoil and
prey,” “and they come against Jerusalem a great company to
pillage and rob the wealthy Jews there gathered from all
quarters of the globe.” fzek. xxxvili. 8, 12.

Zech. (xiv. 1, 4.) describes the battle then fought. ‘“Be-
hold the day of the Lord cometh and the spoils shall be di-
vided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations
against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken and
the houses rifled, and half of the vity shall go forth into cap-
tivity.” Here God interposes and defends them, and here they
come to recognize Jesus as the Son of God, for “The Lord my
God shall come and all thy saints with thee”—and “His feet
shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives.” I know
not whether He and His saints will appear to them visibly or
be recognized by them in their remarkable and, as described,
miraculous deliverance from their enemies.

In Zech. xii. 3, God declares that He will deliver them,
“though all the people of the earth be gathered against them.”
Verse 10 describes the recognition of Him whom they have
pierced, and their sovrow when, in that day, God “pours upon
them the spirit of grace and supplication.”

Here are a number of events—The “Time of trouble such
as was not since there was a nation,” &c.; The return of the
Jews to Palestine and the reorganization of the Jewish nation
though not independent; The gathering of great wealth to
Jerusalem which tempts the hordes of Gog, Togarmah and many
peoples to go up “to take a spoil;” “The battle of the great
day of God Almighty” fought at Jerusalem; The partial suc-
cess of the invaders and in the hour of darkness to the Jew
the power of Messiah manifested in some way effecting their
deliverance; Their recognition of the long waited for Messiah
and the cry, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him and
He will save us;” Then their recognition of Him as the one
whom they had once rejected, and as they look upon Him
“whom they have pierced” (Zech. xii.) God will “pour upon
them the spirit of grace and supplication” and they shall
mourn for their sin, and be accepted again into fellowship with
God. Thus in its close it is “The day of Jacob’s trouble but
he (Israel) shalt be delivered out of it.” These events we
expect in about the order mentioned. As most of our readers
are aware, we believe that the Word of God furnishes us with
indubitable proof that we are now living in this “Day of the
Lord”; that it began in 1873, and is a day of forty years dura-
tion as was “the day of temptation in the wilderness,” when
Israel proved God and saw His works forty years.” Heb. iii. 9.

And it is astonishing how very rapidly these things once
looked at as absurd and impossible are becoming realities. When
we with a few others declared these things only a short time
since, and called attention to the fact that trouble was taught
to be occasioned by a rising of the people and the overthrow
of governments—Communism,—we were laughed at; there was
truly little sign then of Communism; but today every civilized
nation is in dread, and Nihilism, Communism and Socialism,
are household words, and we see “men’s hearts failing for fear
and for looking after those things coming on the earth, for the
powers of heaven (governments) shall be shaken.” Luke xxi. 26.

Of recent years the Jew has been coming into prominence

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SEPTEMBER, 1879

furnishing the world as capitalists and statesmen, such names
as Rothschild, Disraeli, Gambetta, Montefiore, etc., while yet
more recently, complications of other nations have placed the
control of Palestine in the hands of Hebrews, and opened it
to them as a people for their home, whither the poorer classes
are now flocking in great numbers from Russia, where one

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third of the race are said to reside. And what can be more
probable than that the wealthy ones, as already suggested,
should flee there to escape the anarchy and insecurity of earth's
falling empires?

But what of this day to the church?
show shortly.

We will endeavor to

WHO WILL RAISE THE DEAD?

Allow us to answer this question according to our under-
standing of God’s Word. We are all, I trust, willing to learn
more, and also to give up former ideas when a “Thus saith
the Lord,” understood, makes it necessary. When light in-
creases we may see differently; and may we have grace in the
future, as in the past, to confess our mistakes as they become
apparent. At present we have a decided objection to the idea
that the “Father, as distinct from the Son,” will raise the
dead, or do anything else which is a part of the plan of salva-
tion. We believe the work that was done before the incarna-
tion was, in a peculiar sense, the Father’s work, and the “Word
was made flesh” to finish his (Father’s) work.” (John iv.
34.) The finishing work was the harvest, and, so far as related
to the Jews, in favor, it ended when Jesus had left their house
desolate and said, “It is finished.” Unless we are much mis-
taken the “Word” was not called the Son until the incarnation.
The Son was called “Emmanuel—God with us.” Matt. i. 23.
“God was manifest in the flesh.” 1 Tim. iii. 16. “AI! power
is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matt. xxviii. 18. “It
pleased the Father that in him (the Son) should all fullness
dwell’”’—“all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Col. i. 19, and
ii.9. From these and other testimonies we believe that “God is
in Christ,” so that all that God does is through Christ, as
mediator, and all that Christ does is by the power of the
Father given Him. Hence he could say, “I and my Father are
one,” and “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” But
as the Father gave him the power He could also say, “My
Father is greater than I.”

With the prayer in our hearts that the “Spirit of Truth”
will help in “rightly dividing the Word,” let us look at John
v. 21, which is thought by some to be a “Thus saith the Lord”
for the idea that the “Father as distinct from the Son” will
raise not only a part but all of the dead.

“As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them,
even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.” If the quickening
by the Son refers to the work of elevating after the resurrec-
tion, the Son will have nothing to do, for the Father quickens
all he raises. To quicken is to make alive, and the double
statement gives emphasis to the idea of life by resurrection
(modern resurrectionists do not give life.) A careful reading
of the context instead of confirming the assumption that the
Father, separately, will raise the dead, will show that the work
is committed by the Father into the hands of the Son. The
plan of the ages will help in dividing the Word.

The closing work of the Jewish age was the turning point
between the work of the Father and of the Son. “My Father
worketh HITHERTO, and [now] I work.” Ver. 17.

Raising the dead may well be regarded as the climax of
physical healing. He that can do the greater can certainly do
the less. And if Christ has not the power over physical death,
he could not heal a single disease or save any person from
dying. Before the incarnation the Father healed disease and
raised the dead, but, says Jesus, “The hour is coming and now
is (The harvest of the Jewish age was the dawn of the Gospel
age) when the dead shall hear the voice of the SON of God,
and they that hear shall live.” (Ver. 25.) True, “the Son can
do nothing of himself.” (Ver. 19.) The Father shows the Son
(Ver. 20), so that what the Father can do the Son can do also
(Ver. 21); after which the Son does the work (Ver. 22).
“That all men should honor the Son even as they honor the
Father.” (Ver. 23.)

“As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to
the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority

to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man.” (vs.
26, 27.) Now that the life and power are given to Christ, do
not be surprised if He exercises His power in giving the life.

[Note—Do not think because Christ was dealing with phys-
ical diseases and death, that therefore we imagine his work
was confined to physical things. ‘“‘All power” (physical and
spiritual) belongs to Christ, and the object of physical bene-
fits is that men thus saved may “come to the knowledge of
the truth.” The natural is the type and stepping-stone to the
spiritual].

He exercised that power in the raising of Lazarus, the
widow’s son, and Jairus’ daughter, and not only during His
earthly life and ministry but after his exaltation, also, the
“Name of Jesus,” by the Apostles, wrought wonderful cures,
and brought the dead back to natural life again. Not in their
own name, nor in the name of the Father, but in the name
of the Lord Jesus, be it remembered, these cures were done. The
reason is obvious, as they were acting under a commission from
him who had said, “All power is given to Me in Heaven and
earth.” In the exercise of this power Christ, as the head of the
anti-typical Elias, will in due time “restore all things.”
“Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all
that are in their graves shall hear HIS voice and shall come
forth.” John v. 28, 29. The context shows that the pronoun
“his” in the above refers to the Son and not to the Father.

True, “merely” a resurrection is not all that is involved
in a “Restitution of all things,” but it is certainly included
in that work, and it seems as if all might see that Christ’s work
as head of an immortal race is over and above his work as
Redeemer—-or restoring what was lost in Adam. Before
Christ could complete the work of bringing man to the image
of God, He must redeem man from death, as all the Father
had done for man was lost by sin. Hence we are dependent
on Christ for both “life and immortality,” which are “brought
to light through the Gospel.” 2 Tim. i. 10. The recovery is by
the ransom, and the glorification is by the light, “to all
them that obey him.” If it be remembered that it is “God
in Christ reconciling the world to himself,” it will be seen
that we honor both the Father and the Son, and there will be
no more difficulty in harmonizing the statements: “J will
raise him up at the last day,” John vi. 40, and “He that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal
bodies.”” Rom. viii. 11. Both are by the same spirit which,
in the ninth verse, is called the “Spirit of God,’ and also the
“Spirit of Christ.” So, also, Jesus could say, “I have power
to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again.” John
x. 18; and Peter could say truly, “God raised him from the
dead.” Acts iii. 15.

It is to be hoped that none will for the sake of propping
up a new idea reject an old truth.

[I would not impugn the motives of any who differ, but we
should guard against a tendency to unconsciously strain a pas-
sage to make it help prove a new theory. This is often done
without realizing that well established truths are belittled.
We would unlearn our errors but hold fast to truths.]

When Jesus was raised it was by the Spirit, and therefore
not in the flesh, for “That which is born of the Spirit is
Spirit.” John iii. 6; and when the Saints are raised “it is
raised a spiritual body” for the same reason. Truly we have
a right to exclaim: “Thanks be unto Gop, who giveth us the
VicToRY THROUGH OUR LorpD JEsuS CuRIstT.” 1 Cor. xv. 57.

J. H. P.

TRIALS

The Christian’s life is one of continual trials, of such a
nature that the superficial Christian, who does not fully com-
prehend their use, and is not fully convinced that all things
work together for good, to them who love God, to them who
are the called according to His purpose, can not endure them.

The afflictions of the gospel can not be endured without
the consolations of the gospel. Paul says: “For as the suf-
ferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also

aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your
consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of
the same sufferings which we also suffer; or whether we be
comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.” 1 Cor.
i. 5, 6.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment.
worketh out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen,

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but at the things which are not seen; for the things which
are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen
are eternal." 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17.

Again, we read in Rom. villi. 18: “For I reckon that the
sutferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Then. while “filling up that which is behind of the afflic-
tions of Christ.” Col. i, 24. though at times they may be griev-
ous: for “no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous,
but grievous. nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peace-
able fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby.” Heb. xit. 11.

“Though we be troubled on every side, yet not distressed ;
we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not for-
saken: cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in
the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of
Jesus might be made manifest in our body ” 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9.

“Understanding that these things are designed to work
out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
we can rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so,
but we can glory in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation
worketh patience: and experience, hope; and hope maketh
not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Rom. v.
me. Oe

We can now understand how all things work together
for good to them who love God; when they are rightly exer-
cised by the trial of their faith; and can see the force of
Peter's exhortation:

“Beloved. think it not strange concerning the fiery trial
which is to try you, as though some strange thing had hap-
pened unto you, but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of
Christ's sufferings; that. when his glory shall be revealed, ye
may be glad with exceeding joy.” 1 Pet. iv. 12, 18.

Though the suffering of Christ were not simply the trials
which he endured, vet the trials were included in the suffer-
ings; and if thev were necessary for him, they certainly are
more so for us.

“It became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are
all things. in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the
captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Heb.
ii. 10.

“He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without
sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need.” Heb. iv. 15, 16.

“For consider him that endured such contradiction of sin-
ners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your
minds.” Heb. xii. 3.

“Ye have not vet resisted unto blood. striving against sin;
and ve have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto
vou_as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening
of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him, for
whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth. and scourgeth every
son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth
with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father
chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof
all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.” Heb.
xii. 4-8. Think of the worthies of the past, “who, through
faith. subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence
of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, waxed valiant in fight,
turned to flight the armies of the aliens; women received their
dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not ac-
cepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resur-
rection; and others had trials of cruel mockings and
scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonments. They
were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were
slain with tne sword; they wandered about in sheep-skins and
goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the
world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in moun-
tains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, hav-
ing a good report through faith, received not the promise;
(;od having provided some better thing for us, that they with-
out us should not be made perfect.” Heb. xi. 33-40.

We certainly are not called upon to endure greater trials
than those worthies of the past. “There hath no temptation
or trial taken vou but such as is common to man; but God
is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that
vou are able: but will, with the temptation, also make a way
of escape, that se may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor. x. 13.

‘Wherefore. it behooved him—Christ—to be made like unto

WATCH TOWER

PitTsRURGH, Pa.

his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High
Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for
the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered,
being tempted, he is able to succor—deliver—them that are
tempted.” Heb. ii. 17, 18.

All good is estimated in comparison or contrast with evil.
Where sin abounded grace did much more abound.

So the glory of the future will be exceedingly intensified
in consequence of an experience with the trials of this life.
But the glory will hardly be realized by those who seek it
from selfish motives, simply for the good of the individual.
They who “serve God to escape future punishment and gain
heaven,” will fail to reach the goal they seek. Such do not
experience the peculiar trials referred to in the Scriptures,
consequently will not be partakers in the glory. Jesus Christ
gave himself for the good of the world, and became heir of
the world; and those who give themselves, or suffer with him,
will be glorified together with him.

That He might become a faithful High Priest in things per-
taining to God, and know how to succor the tempted, it was
necessary that he should be made perfect through suffering.
If we would share with him in the Royal Priesthood, we must
also be perfected by trials that we may know how to sympa-
thize with humanity. So the body of Christ, coming through
the varied experience of six thousand years, will, as the Royal
Priesthood, be qualified to meet the necessities of humanity of
all ages and nations.

It is often asked why God did not make man so that he
could not sin, and consequently suffer and die, and pass
through such a terribly dark experience? The answer is found
in what is said of the church. The blessing which will come
to the world through the instrumentality of the kingdom of
God will be more fully appreciated, because of the long expe-
rience with the kingdom of Satan.

Understanding something of the position we are to occupy,
and the use of the trials, can we not, by the help of the Spirit,
endure as long as an allwise Father, who makes all things
work together for good to those who jove Him and are the
called according to His purpose, sees to be necessary? Jesus.
our head, lived as an example for us, that we should walk in
his steps. He was persecuted and reviled, and endured such
contradiction of sinners against himself; was a man of sorrow
and acquainted with grief, and had not where to lay His head.
Are we called upon to endure more? When He was reviled, he re-
viled not again; when He suffered He threatened not. but
committed His cause to Him who judges righteously.

“Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you,
and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in
heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before
you.” Matt. xv. 11, 12. “Tf ye be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth
upon you; on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your
He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or
as a thief, or as an evil docr, or as a busy-body in other men’s
matters. Yet, if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not
be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the
time has come that judgment—trial—must begin at the house
of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of
them that obey not the gospel of God? Wherefore, let them
that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping
of their souls—lives—to Him in well doing as unto a faithful
Creator.” 1 Pet. iv. 14-19.

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of
another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous; not ren-
dering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise,
blessing ; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should
inherit a blessing. For it is better, if the will of God be so,
that ye suffer for well doing than for evil doing.” 1 Pet. ili.
8-17.

“But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober,
and watch unto prayer, and, above all things, have fervent
charity among yourselves. Use hospitality—liberality—one to
another without grudging. As every man hath received the
gift, even so minister the same to another, as good stewards
of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Pet. iv. 7-10. “That the trial
of your faith, being much more precious than of gold, which
perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto
praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ;
whom, having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see
him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory. receiving the end of your faith, even your salvation.”
1 Pet. 1. 7, 9. B. W. K.

[28]

RELATION OF THE NATURAL TO THE SPIRITUAL

I firmly believe that a profound, Divinely ordained cor-
respondence exists between things spiritual and things natural.
Observe the order of my words: Between things spiritual and
things natural, putting things spiritual first. This is a vital
point. For we are wont to think that it is by a species of
happy accident that certain resembl inces exist between the
kingdom of matter and the kingdom of spirit. Thus we are
wont to cite certain metaphors of Holy Scripture as instances
of God’s condescension, representing Him as adjusting Him-
self to our weakness by setting forth spiritual truth in
metaphors, that is, in language “borrowed,” as we say, from
human relations and material phenomena.

Tt is well worth pondering, however, whether God, instead
of thus borrowing from Nature, and so employing an after-
thought, did not create Nature for this very purpose, among
others, namely: of illustrating His spiritual kingdom, Nature
being in a profound sense its counterpart, answering to it as
though in way of shadow and impress—E. g., we are told
that the Church is Christ’s body. 1 Cor. xii. 12-27. Of course
it is easy to trace many analogies between the natural organ-
ism of the head and its body, and the spiritual organism of
Christ and the church. But whence came these analogies?
Are they accidental? Did Jesus Christ adjust Himself to a
scheme of nature already existing? Or did He, foreknowing
all things from the beginning, and foreseeing the peculiarly
vital relation He would sustain to His own chosen people, so
construct the scheme of nature that the human organism of
head and body should set forth the mystical union of Saviour
and saved? Again: Jesus Christ is said to be the bride-
groom and the church His bride. Eph. v. 25-33. Is this lan-
guage borrowed from the marriage institution? No; the mar-
riage institution was founded for this very purpose, among
others, namely: to set forth the unutterably tender relation
between Jesus Christ and those who are His. For, as Eve pro-
ceeded from out of Adam, so does the church proceed from out
of the second Adam. Gen. ii. 21-24. Members of His body, being
of His flesh and of His bones. Eph. v.30. Again: Jesus Christ is
called the last Adam. 1 Cor. xv.45. Why is this name given to
Him? Asan after-thought suggested by the first Adam? No, but
because the first Adam, in the very beginning, was instituted to
be to the race natural, what the second Adam is to the race
spiritual or the family of the redeemed, and, therefore, he is
expressly called a figure or type of Him who was to come.
Rom. v. 14. And when the theological mind of Christendom,
instead of seeking to explain, as has been its wont, the second
Adam by the first, shall soar higher, and seek to explain the
first Adam by the second—in other words, Adam’s relation
to his race by Christ’s relation to His redeemed—then will
the doctrine of the church, or Christ’s mystical body, come
into clearer light and be seen resting on a more solid foun-
dation. Again: Jesus Christ calls Himself the true bread
from heaven. John vi. 32-58. We see at once the appro-
priateness of this saying: “As the body is nourished by food,
so is the spirit nourished by Christ.” But how happens it
that this saying is so true? Is the analogy merely accidental?
or did He who in the beginning, before the world was, when
forecasting His creative and redemptive acts, so devise the
scheme of nature as that the sustenance of the body by food
should symbolize the sustenance of the spirit by Christ? But
perhaps you would say that man would have been just as
dependent on food for maintenance as he now is, even had
there been no Redeemer and no bread of life. The objection
is more specious than solid, for it is evident that the Almighty
Creator, had He so chosen, could have devised and con-
structed a different scheme of nature, according to which
man could have lived without food. But the fact is that He
has not so devised and constructed nature. On the other hand,
He has so constructed man in his relations to nature as that
his daily bodily life shall be a constant reminder, and prophecy,
and symbol of his daily spiritual life, so that, not less for his
spirit than for his body, he can each morning pray, “Give us
this day our daily bread.”

Again: the Kingdom of God is represented as a youth;
first the seed, then the blade, then the ear, then the full corn
in the ear. Mark iv. 26-29. It is the law of the spiritual
life, and of this spiritual growth the vegetable growth around
us is a magnificent symbol. The plant world is, in many par-
ticulars, a perfect picture of the spiritual. But whence this
harmony? Whence this correspondence on a scale so colossal?
Is it accidental? Let no believer in God dare say it. And if
intentional, did the Creator arrange His spiritual kingdom
with reference to His natural, or did He construct the realm
of nature with reference to His spiritual realm, adjusting
the former to the latter?

Take one more example: The blessed truth of God’s father-
hood: ‘When ye pray, say Father.” Juke ii. 2. Conceive,
and the conception is certainly possible, that the parental
relation were altogether unknown, and that each human being
took his station on earth as Adam did in Eden—an immediate
creation of God. It is to be doubted whether under such cir-
cumstances we could have understood at all the blessed im-
port of the Scriptural doctrine of God’s Fatherhood. In fact,
the heavenly love becomes a real thing to us only in our exer-
cise and sense of our earthly. The human father’s love is
to men a helping image of the heavenly Father’s. And this,
as I verily believe, was one of the primary ends to be secured
by the original establishment of the parental relation. God,
in calling Himself our Father, does not borrow the epithet
from earth. But in the very beginning He founded the earthly
parental relation that it might suggest, prove, and explain the
heavenly. Hence the resistless force of the Saviour’s argu-
ment when, appealing to the very foundations of man’s nature,
He exclaims: “Which of you that is a father, if his son
shall ask for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask for a
fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask
for an egg, will he give a scorpion? If ye then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts to vour children, how much more
will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who
ask Him?” Luke xi. 12, 13. In fact, it is this Divinely or-
dained correspondence between things spiritual and things
natural which lies at the basis of Christ’s method as a teacher;
for He was in the eminent, supereminent sense the parable
speaker, evermore saying: The kingdom of heaven is like this
or like that. “All these words spake Jesus to the multitude
in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the
prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables. I will
utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.” Psalms
Ixxviii. 2. Matt. xiii. 34, 35. In fact, erase from the records
of Christ’s sayings all He has said in form of parable, and
igure, and metaphor, leaving only what He taught in direct
statements, and how comparatively meager the residue! Ah.
it is the invisible world which is the fact; it is the visible
world which is the metaphor! And this fact it is which makes
Holy Scriptures so inexhaustible in its meanings alike im
respect to depth and to variety.

Truths, like the seventy whom the Lord of the kingdom sent
forth, are ever apt to go in pairs. “All things.” said another
Jesus, son of Sirach, “are double. the one against the other.”
Eeclus. xlii. 24. ‘For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made.” Rom. i. 20.

Thus there are two Bibles, both issuing from the same
Divine Author; the one, the Bible of the unwritten word, the
other, the Bible of the written word, or, rather, the one Bible
is in two volumes, the volume of Nature and the volume of
Scripture; and the first volume is the second volume illus
trated. For, though the written word in the order of purpose
precedes the unwritten, yet in the order of time the unwritten
word precedes the written. That was not first which ts
spiritual, but that which is natural. and afterward that which
is spiritual. 1 Cor. xv. 46.

GEo. D. BoakoMan.

KEEP BALANCED

Avoid extremes. The Bible is so written that men are apt
to stumble, because it states truth apparently, opposites. A.
for instance, the doctrines of “Election” and “Free Grace’;
and it requires caution and a knowledge of the general plan to
enable us to plan the Scripture, and see the harmony. The
same care is essential in regard to the relation between the
natural and the spiritual, and the two features of the work of
Christ. Extreme views are held by many on all these and
many other points. The sceming opposites are often but dif-
ferent parts of the same great truth. An extremist takes
one side of a truth, will not look at any other. He defends

[29]

himself with the Scriptures, and calls hard names and
anathematizes all who cannot see as he does, or who see from
the other side. There is a great deal of intolerance and quir-
reling among honest men in this world of ours: and it seems
that intolerance is the leading characteristic of the Beast of
Rev. xiii. The attitude of many professing Christians toward
each other, is much like that of the two soldiers who came
to deadly blows over the color of a shield. Why could they
not learn until sweltering in their blood, that the two sides
of the shield had different colors?

The relation between faith and works as cunse and effect,

{3 4)!

(4-3)

if understood might bring Paul and James together in the
minds of the extremists; one class contending for faith, and
the other for works. James does not contradict Paul when
he says Abraham was justified by his works and not by faith
only. Paul did not say Abraham was justified by faith only.
“By faith Abraham obeyed” is Paul’s statement which shows
the harmony. Heb. xi. 8. It is not only true that faith is
manifested by works, but also that by works is faith made
perfect. James ii. 22. Justification by faith and justification
by works are only different sides of the same truth.

The natural and the spiritual in God’s plan are in many
respects the cause of stumbling. Some see one, and some the
other, both failing to see the relation between them. For
this reason we have extreme literalists and extreme spiritual-
ists. Because it can be shown that much of the Old Testa-
ment history is allegorical; some ignore the history entirely,
and see only that of which it is the allegory. Adam and Eve
represent Christ and the church; why need we for that
reason ignore the history of Adam and Eve? Because of this
extreme others cling to the story, and admit no spiritual sig-
nificance. The same extremes are common concerning Abra-
ham, Isaac and Rebecca; Moses, Aaron and their work; Israel,
their bondage, deliverance, journeying and their inheritance;
and all that pertains to Jerusalem, its temple and its wor-
ship. Jerusalem is to be restored in the coming age: No
matter, says one, Jerusalem is only a type of the Heavenly
and so we will only look for the New Jerusalem. Just as
if Jerusalem were not a fact as well as a type, and as if a
restoration of the old would militate against the manifesta-
tion or descent of the New. Another class are afraid of the
spiritual, and must have it that the New Jerusalem is nothing
more than the old one restored, built up on its old site, to be
the capital city of God’s Kingdom in the Age to come, and are
thus compelled to bring Christ and all his glorified ones down
to inhabit an earthly city. Why not admit what the Bible
clearly teaches: that there are, in God’s plan two Jerusalems,
one Earthly and the other Heavenly, adapted to the restored
Jew and the glorified Saint? Why ignore either one? All
the promises of restoration must refer to the earthly, and
prove that there will be such a city in the future; and yet that
Abraham saw beyond the glory of the earthly is evident, for
he desired a “better country, i. e., heavenly.” Heb. xi. 16,
and “he looked for a city which hath foundations (twelve—the
Apostles) whose builder and maker is God.” Ver. 10. The
relation between the earthly and the heavenly will thus be
perpetuated when they are both in existence.

That in the case of the present and future bodies of the
saint, there is a development or change from the natural to
the spiritual is true. But this change into the spiritual life,
whether reckoned as beginning at conversion or from resur-
rection, can in no proper sense be called a restoration, as the
idea of restoring is a bringing back something that was lost,
and there is no Bible evidence that Adam in his best estate,

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PITTSBURGH, Pa.

as head of the earthly race, ever had by creation, either
what men receive at conversion or resurrection. Hence so far
as relates to man, Restoration can only bring back natural
life, as that was lost, and is the only kind of life that was
lost by Adam’s transgression. The natural life being lost and
being the basis from which alone higher development is pos-
sible its recovery is a necessity. And that Christ took the
seed of Abraham, “flesh and blood” for the express purpose of
destroying the Captor—the Devil—and effecting the deliver-
ance is clearly taught by Paul in Heb. ii. The same want of
balance referred to above is manifested among two classes on
this subject.

Because Jesus is clearly represented in the Bible as the
second Adam or Head imparting spiritual life, and giving his
flesh for meat and his blood for drink in order to its support,
some ignore the restoring work of Christ, with as much
earnestness as if Christ had no literal flesh and blood; as if
he did not actually die, and through death destroy the Devil
and deliver the captives. On the other hand some can only
see the physical salvation, and belittle the Headship of
Christ. Again I ask, Why not admit them both? Christ
is the Restorer as well as Head, and these two parts of his
work are so related to each other that to ignore either one
mars the beauty of the whole. The ransom or price paid and
the consequent work of restoring, came from the nature of
what was lost, and only refers to the natural; but we can also
sce the beauty of using the natural terms by figures in rela-
tion to the spiritual life. To say that God “as distinct from
his Son” raises the dead to natural life, because God raises
the dead, is no more in harmony with facts, than to say that
Christ is not the Saviour at all, “because we trust in the
living God, who is the Saviour of all men, but specially them
that believe.’ God is the Fountain and Christ the chan-
nel, from and through which all salvation comes.

The beauty and glory of the spiritual are not marred by
the fact that Christ has a double work; but the foundation
half of the gospel of Christ is lost sight of if his death is
either belittled or ignored. There is reconciliation by his
death, and salvation by his life. Rom. v. 10. It may be
necessary to admit that there is a double to the Atonement
as well as other features of God’s plan, in order to keep bal-
anced. One thing more let me say, that while we are seck-
ing for truth it becomes us to be humble; occupying the
position of learners and brethren, and not that of “lords
over God’s heritage’; but ever treating with tolerance and
kindness all who cannot see what seems plain to us.

We are not infallible, and have found it necessary to
modify some statements and opinions of the past, as a
clearer view of God’s plan comes to us. May we ever re-
member that for whatever of truth we have we are indebted
to God the giver, through him who is the Way, the Truth
and the Life. He uncovers his truth or we could not see it.
Not unto us but unto him be all the praise. J. H. P.

OUR CALLING

Very few secm to realize the value of the Christian’s hope
and calling. If they did there would be less clinging to the
lower blessings (even) of animal life, and less cause for the
use of the hymn:

“Look how we grovel here below
Fond of these earthly toys;

Our souls how heavily they go
‘lo reach eternal joys.”

Perhaps the emphasis the Bible lays upon our calling
eanunot be shown better than by reference to the unity of the
Christian with Christ. This is taught in many ways. The
vine and its branches (John xv.) is a beautiful illustration
of the fellowship with Christ. In the figure of a house the
“foundation” and “living stones” express a similar thought.
‘lhe Head and other members of our body give the same gen-
eral idea. The endearing name “Wife” is given to the church,
and “They tio shall be one” lays stress upon the truth we are
teaching. Brethren beloved, have you ever realized the full-
ness of this fellowship, and that fellowship with Him is the
basis of our fellowship one with another? The manifestation
and evidence of this Divine unity is Love for the brethren.

We are too apt to think of ourselves in the relation of

servants of Christ, instead of the nearer and dearer of
brethren and friends. The service of these is the service of
Jove, The exalted relation of the Christian secures him a

share in all the promises made to Christ. In relation we are
Sons of God, and Christ is our elder Brother, the First-born

from the dead. This of course relates to the new life by
resurrection, and to our present life as possessing the “hope
of the glory of God.” The Son is not the Father, but in an
important sense one with the Father. “I and my Father are
one” cannot mean one in person, but in fellowship—‘‘the
unity of the spirit,” and hence Christ prays for believers:
“That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in
thee, that they also may be one in us.... AND THE GLORY
WHICH THOU GAVEST ME I HAVE GIVEN THEM; THAT THEY MAY
BE ONE EVEN AS WE ARE ONE.” John xvii. 21, 22. This is the
doctrine we inculcate in a nutshell. We are not speaking
here of the mysterious doctrine of incarnation, but of the
equally mysterious and important doctrine of exaltation. It
was that we might go up and share his glory that he came
down, and he went up as our Forerunner, and security. Is
he Heir of God—“of all things?” Heb. i. 2. So are we. “Tf
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.”
Rom. viii. 17. If we have fellowship in His sufferings and
are made conformable unto His death, as a willing sacrifice,
we will have fellowship in His glory. Comp. Phil. iii. 10
and 2. Tim. ii. 12. As His victory was by the cross so we
must take the thorny road and overcome. Is He to come in
glory? We also shall appear with him in glory. Col. iil. 3.
Is He to have dominions and glory and a kingdom that all
nations should serve Him? Dan. vii. 14. The same is given
to the “Saints.” Ver. 27. Is He to rule all nations? Psalm
2. He says, “To him that overcometh .... will I give
power over the nations and he shall rule them... . even as

[30]

SEPTEMBER, 1879

I received of my Father.” Rev. ii. 26, 27. Is He both
King and Priest? The “new song” is “Thou hast made us
unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the
earth.”

Certainly the “crown,” “throne” and “reign” mean far
more in the Christian hope than many suppose. To be a
king can mean no less than to exercise authority, and priest
certainly implies the ministration of mercy. Were there no
other reasons for it, we might from this know that the nations
are to be ruled for the purpose of blessing them, and that
even the dashing in pieces in judgment is that men may learn
righteousness. Isa. xxvi. 9. His sufferings and temptations
prepared him to be able to succor the tempted. Heb. ii. 18.
So too, the thorny road they have walked, who are gathered
out of every nation as members of the Christ of God, may
serve to teach them how to sympathize with humanity in
the struggle of life. Christ Jesus himself does not reach all
humanity, but He will through His “many members” finish

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(5-6)

what He has undertaken, and by bringing God to man, bring
man to God.

God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world
in righteousness. So also “the saints shall judge the world.”
To judge is in one sense to rule. The judges of Israel were
its rulers. “Behold a King shall reign in righteousness and
princes shall rule in judgment.” Isa. xxxii. 1. The world
shall have what as yet they know not—a righteous gov-
ernment, in which the right will be duly appreciated and re-
warded, and sin shall not go unpunished. The unity of
Christ and the Church secures her a share in all His work.
Surely our calling is “high” indeed. “Wherefore, holy breth-
ren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle
and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was
faithful,’ &e. Heb. iii. 1. Let His faithfulness encourage
our hearts in all our weary work, and His sueces~ be the as
surance of our rich reward.

dx TH. FP.

OUR NEW HYMN BOOK

We will send as soon as possible to each ZIon’s WATCH
Tower subscriber, a copy of “Songs of the Bride.”
When you receive it please examine leisurely and carefully.

“The strong argument for the truth of Christianity is the
true Christian; the man filled with the spirit of Christ. The
proof of Christ’s resurrection is a living church, which itself
is walking in a new life, and drawing life from him who hath
overcome death. Before such arguments, ancient Rome her-
self, the mightiest empire of the world, could not stand.”

“The two great orators of antiquity differ widely from
each other in the effect produced on their respective audi-

If it does not please you, or if you do not want it, please re-
turn to us. If you like and want to have it, keep it. If you
can afford and desire to pay for it, you may do so.

ences. Cicero’s hearers went away, saying, ‘What a splendid
oration!’ Thosc who listened to the philippics of Demosthenes,
forgetting the orator, thought only of their oppressed coun-
try, and with one voice exclaimed, ‘Let us go and fight Philip.’
The best preacher is not he who sends away his hearers
pleased with him, and satisfied with themselves, but he whose
hearers hasten to be alone with God, and with their own
hearts, trembling at sin, and admiring the Saviour.”—Selected.

“LOVE”

“Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that
loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this: Thou shalt
not commit adultery; thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not
steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not
covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly
comprehended in this saying, viz: thou shalt love thy neigh-
bor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; there-
fore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Rom. xii. 8, 10. Our
love to God and for each other should be such as to cause
our life’s service to him, and for the members of the body of
Christ to seem to us even shorter, comparatively, than was
Jacob’s service for Rachel, who served seven years. But
his love for her was so great, that it seemed unto him but a
few days. Gen. xxix. 20. If we were nearer perfect in love,
a life of service to God, in whatever way he might see fit
to use us, would be to us a pleasant service, and well pleasing
to him. I think if we would consider how great was his
love for us, it would beget love in us. We would then be
anxious to love him with all the heart, soul, strength and
mind, also to love one another as he loved us, for we can do
more in this way to please him than in any other one way.
We can thus fulfill the spirit of the law, which we could do
in no other. Brother, sister, did you ever meditate and think
of God, one of whose main attributes is love? Yea, for
God is love. Have you considered how great his love was and
is for us? Has your heart not been made to leap for joy, as
you have read some of the words, penned by inspired writers
concerning the love of God for his children?

John it was who wrote much concerning love; hear him as
he exclaims; (1 John iii. 1.) “Behold what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God.” Did you ever think of that? Called
to be sons and daughters of the loving God, adopted into the
family of God, and have Jesus as our elder brother, and with
him share all the glories of the heavenly kingdom. Yes,
friends, he that has given us Jesus, will, with him freely
give us all things. Surely the apostle could say: “Behold
what manner of love’; also God has manifested his love
toward us, because he sent this only begotten son into the
world, that we might live through him. “Herein is love;
not that we loved God, but that he loved us.” 1 John iv.
9, 10. Yea he loved us before we loved him. When we were
without strength, when there was no arm to save; yea, in
due time Christ died for the ungodly. “Thus God commendeth

his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ
died for us.” Rom. v. 6, 8. Friends, here is manifested pure,
unselfish love; when we were sinners, aliens from God, Christ
died for us. Oh, can we not in part repay him by loviny in
return? Surely if we have his spirit we will Jove him, for
love begets love. Can we not say with the Apostle Paul:
“YT am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall
be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord”? Rom. viii. 38, 39. Not only should we love
God fervently, and be unseparable from that lore, but we
shall love those begotten by him; (through his Word of truth)
this is a new commandment given unto us by Christ, viz:
“that as he loved us we should love one another.” Jolin xiii.
35.

If we thus loved each other, it would be Jove indeed.
If we had love one for another as Christ loved us, it would
lead to the giving of our lives for each other if necessary,
and that is what John says: “Hereby perceive we the
love of God, because he laid down his life for us. and we
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John ii. 16.
True we are not thus tried, but if we were would our lure
enable us so to do? Has our love for each other reached the
state of perfection which scems to be brought to light in the
Word of truth? When we thus love, we will watch every word
and action, lest we should offend our brother, for we would
not hurt the feelings of any one whom we louc. We should
also by love serve one another. Service, when love prompts.
is a pleasant service, and renders the most arduous task an
easy one, and besides being a pleasant service to us, it 13 ae-
ceptable to God. If we thus love we can say with Paul: “lt
there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort
of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if anv bowels and
niercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ve be like-minded, having the
same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Do vou see the
unity, brethren, that, Paul would have among us? He also
says: ‘Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory.”
We should not be envious of one another, but in lowliness of
mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Yes, if we
cannot speak well of our brother, do not let us speak evil, for
God will bring all things to light. “Look not every man
on his own things, but every man also on the things of others:
let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

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(6--7)

Phil. ii. 1, 5. Do you not see that in exercising love we be-
come more like Jesus? and surely this should be our highest
aim. Paul further says: “That we are taught of God to
lore one another.” 1 Thess. iv. 9. Peter says: “Seeing ye
have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the
spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently.” 1 Pet. i. 22.

John says: “Let us love one another, for love is of God.
And every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.
He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.” 1
John iv. 7. Is love then not important? Think on these
things, meditate on them, grow in love. For (says the same
Apostle) “We know that we have passed from death unto life,
because we love the brethren.” How shall we know, John?
Why, if we love the brethren. No doubt many of you have
asked yourselves the above question, viz: “Have I passed
from death unto life’—am I now while on trial, coming off
victorious through Christ, so that I shall awake in his like-
ness, and not come into judgment [trial] again? is the idea.
Well if you are, then you find an answer. Do you love the
brethren fervently out of a pure heart? If you do, you have
passed from death unto life, or so says John, and he is good
authority. He also says (1 John iv. 12); “If we love one
another, God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us, because
he hath given us of his spirit.” No doubt but this is the
way in which his spirit bears witness with ours, that we are
his children, and if children then heirs, etc. How very im-
portant then is love to each other. it shows to us in what
position we stand with our heavenly Father, in fact, it is a
test of sonship, for “If we love God, we must also love our
brother; for if we love not our brother whom we have seen,
how can we love God whom we have not seen?” Impossible. John
says: If any man make such a claim, he is a liar. So, if we
think we love God, and do not love our brother, we are only
deceiving ourselves; for this commandment we have from him,
viz.. “that he who loveth God love his brother also.” 1 John
iv. 20, 21. Then let us who think we love God examine our-
selves and see whether we love our brother; for in that we
ean make no mistake. And further, friends, “Let us love,
not in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth,”
keeping ourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 21. If we
have luce to God and for each other, it becomes to us as well
as to others an evidence that we have the spirit of God, for
one of the first fruits of the spirit is love (Gal. v. 22); and
not only is it a fruit, but love and faith form a breastplate,
which signifies a piece of defensive armor, and it is necessary

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PIrtsepurRGH, Pa.

that we have on the whole armor of God, in order that we
may be able to stand in the evil time; and it is also necessary
that we be rooted and grounded in love, that we may be able
to comprehend, with all saints, what is the breadth, and
length, and depth. and height, and to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge, “that we may be filled with
all the fulness of God.” LEph. iii. 7-19. “And we know that
all things work together for good to them that love God.”
Rom. viii. 28. Yes, all things. Whether for the present they
seem evil or no, remember they will all work for our good,
if—if what? why, if we love God.

Let us be sure, then, that we love him, and do not worry
over trouble, knowing the result to us. Also, blessed are
we who endure temptation, for when we are tried we “shall
receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to
them that love him.” James i. 12. Yes, it is for those who
love him. “The Lord is nigh unto al] them that call upon
him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the
desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry and
will save them. The Lord preserveth al] them that love him.”
Psalm exlv. 18-20. Yes, friends, in this coming time of trouble
{upon which we have already entered) he will deliver us
from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence.
“We shall not be afraid for the terror by night, .... nor
for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the de-
struction that wasteth at noonday; .... there shall no evil
befall us, neither shall any plague come nigh our dwelling,
.... because we have set our love upon him, therefore he
will deliver us.” Psalm xci. Oh, yes! It is profitable in
many ways to love the Lord. He has provided a place of
safety during the day of wrath for every trusting, loving child
of his. When we are tried, we shall receive the crown of
life, and it is during this time that we shall all be tried;
for he shall sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver, and
purify the sons of Levi. Now, especially is it needful that
we become more perfect in love, for, though we shall be tried,
there is to be a place of safety from the strife of tongues,
from all the trouble coming on the world, and as there is
such a place, you may rest assured it is for those who love
him. Hence, grow in love, and let us who put our trust in God
rejoice. “Let us ever shout for joy, because thou defendest
us. Let us also who love thy name be joyful in thee.” Psalm
ved

“Let us who love thy salvation say continually, The Lord
be magnified.” Psalm x]. 16.

“For great peace have they who love thy law, and nothing
shall offend them.” Psalm exix. 165.

A.D. J.

“THY KINGDOM COME”

Some say this petition was answered on the day of Pente-
cost, when the church of Christ was founded. Others tell us
that the kingdom keeps coming as obedience to Christ in-
creases, and still others are looking for the kingdom to come
in connection with the return of our Lord.

There is doubtless some good cause for this variety of
opinion, and we apprehend that the facts or testimony used
in favor of them may be more harmonious than many sup-
pose. That the church of Christ is called the Kingdom of
Heaven and of God in the New Testament is clearly a fact.
When Christ says: “On this Rock I will build my church

. and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven.” Matt. xvi. 18, 19. He evidently uses the terms
church and kingdom interchangeably. In the parables of
Christ in referring to the work of the development of the
church he ealls it the Kingdom. They who heartily submit
to the authority of Christ are said to have been “translated
into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.” Col. i. 13. And yet
the “rich in faith” are only “heirs of the kingdom which God
hath promised to them that love him.” Jas. ii. 5. And they
that “add to their faith’ all the graces of the Spirit shall
have an abundant entrance into it. 2 Peter i. 11.

These are a]l harmonized to our satisfaction by the prin-
ciple that what is to be and is being developed is spoken of as
already existing. God on account of the certainty of his
promise “calleth those things that be not as though they were.”
Rom. iv. 17. From the many evidences we draw the conclu-
sion that the church now is this Kingdom in embryo, and
the future kingdom is the church perfected—glorified. Christ
in its Head, and glorified, is a sample of what the whole Body
is to be in due time.

Christ in another figure is the Foundation—the “Spiritual
Rock”’—laid in Zion, when he entered upon the higher, the
spiritual life at his resurrection. From him to men flows

the power by which they can rise from this earthly to a
heavenly life. Each Christian is a stone in the heavenly tem-
ple, and since Pentecost is the period of fitting the stones for
their proper place in the building, God’s kingdom, the posi-
tion occupied will be just what we are fitted for.

Now is the time for quarry work. During this period of
getting the stones ready, the building does not actually exist,
but is the grand ideal of the architect; but when all the stones
are prepared, his ideal will be realized and manifested.

The kingdom exists now in mystery, but after the glorifi-
cation of the Church, there will be a “manifestation of the
sons of God” (Rom. viii. 19)—‘“an appearing with Christ
in glory” (Col. iii. 4)—-as foreshadowed by the transfigura-
tion. Till then it can never be said, The kingdom of God has
come. It may be appropriate to speak of it as coming while
it is being developed, because the causes are at work which
will bring it about.

When the Foundation was laid it had reference to the
outcome, and all true Christian work has reference to the
same thing, and may draw its inspiration from the certainty
of success. For this cause, doubtless, Christ taught his
disciples thus to pray. The return of Christ and the coming
of the kingdom are related to each other as elements of the
Christian’s hope, and are used invariably in the Bible as mo-
tives to holiness and perseverance. “Seeing ye look for such
things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace
without spot and blameless.” 2 Pet. iii. 14. “What manner
of persons ought ye to be in holy conversation and Godliness?”
Ver. 11.

“He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as
he is pure.” 1 John iii. 3.

A proper view of God’s plan of working by ages can not
militate against faithful use of present opportunities, but it
will serve to balance our efforts and expectations, and afford

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SeptemzkrR, 1879

us great comfort in the assurance that Father is at the helm,
that he loves mankind better than we do, and that “all things
work together for good to them ae God, to them that
are the called according to his purpose.”

We would carefully distinguish ibetweel “God’s kingdom,”
and the “kingdoms of this world.” The former is to be a rul-
ing power, the latter are to be made subject to it. Satan’s
kingdom rules the world now; Christ’s kingdom will soon
take its place. Under present rule the nations are cursed.
under the coming kingdom the nations are to be blessed. And
“all the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the
Lord.”

Psa. 22. This shows the proper relation of the two

ZION’S WATCH TOWER (7)

petitions:
earth.”
dom,

During the period of the development of the church, Christ
exercises authority over it, and to recognize his Lordship and
obey him are conditions of eternal life, and of a place in his
kingdom, but when the kingdom is “set up” and manifested,
he will exercise power over the nations by his church. Now
is the suffering, then the glory. “If we suffer we shall also
reign with him.” Not only for our own sake, but for the
sake of all, shall we not heartily unite in the prayer:

“Thy kingdom come ?” J.

“Thy kingdom come” and “Thy will be done in
The destiny of the world depends on Christ’s king-

TESTIFIED

Paul declares that there is one mediator between God and
men—the man Christ Jesus, “who gave himself a ransom for
all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6. How few of
the Gospel Church are prepared to receive such teaching with
any degree of complacency; yet it is a glorious truth, and
when rightly understood is the cause of rejoicing, because of
the goodness and love of our Heavenly Father. Opposition to the
thought, as it is now understood and advocated by quite a number
of Bible students, comes in consequence of a misconception of
God’s plan for showing his love to the world. Itisso hard for us
to comprehend and accept new ideas, especially when they are of
a religious nature, and directly opposed to all we have been
taught and have accepted from our childhood up. To testify
is to give testimony for the purpose of communicating to
others a knowledge of something not known to them. Jesus
Christ gave himself a ransom for all, and it is to be TESTIFIED
in due time.

That he gave himself, or is a “propitiation for our sins,”
has been testified to us, “and not for ours only, but for the
sins of the whole world” (1 John ii. 2), has been made known
to comparatively few. “In other ages, it was not made known
unto the sons of men as it is mow revealed unto his holy
apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should
be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his
promise in Christ by the gospel.” Eph. iii. 5, 6.

Then why should it be accounted a heresy to teach, that,
in a future age. the millennial reign of the kingdom of God—
the nations will be taught that Jesus came to manifest God’s
love to the world?

What peculiar sanctity has there been in the few who
have had more or less knowledge of truth, more than in the
many billions, who have not heard?

Paul writes: “I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, sup-
plications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made
for all men—for kings, and for all that are in authority—tiat
wwe may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and
honesty; for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God,
our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved and to come
unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Tim. ii. 1-4.

Knowledge of truth is light, and Christ is “the true light,
to lighten every man—high or low—that cometh into the
world.” John i. 9.

What would be thought of parents who would educate a
part of their children for good positions in the world, and so
arrange matters that the rest could not be thus educated, and
then punish them for not knowing what had been made impos-
sible for them to learn? Now, this has been and ts just the
exact condition of the world. A few have had opportunities
to gain knowledge of truth, while the large majority have not.

In one sense, God is the father of the whole human race,
and all must admit that had it been in harmony with his plan,
he could have educated every one of them in the past; but the
fact that he has not, shows that the due time has not yet
come.

Is it not reasonable, that a God who is love, and no re-
specter of persons, and a kind and loving father, should pro-
vide for the education of every individual who ever came into
the world? “The children ought not to lay up—provide—for
the parents, but the parents for the children.” 2 Cor. xii. 14.
So far, they have had neither instructors nor fathers in
Christ. 1 Cor. iv. 15. Yet Jesus says: “It is written in
the prophets, and they shall att be taught of God. Every
man, therefore, that hath heard and learned of the Father,
cometh unto me.” John vi. 45. “And all thy children shall
be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy
children.” Is. liv. 138; Jer. xxxi. 34.

Many will say, But they have all had some idea of God
through the works of nature, if nothing more:—“And as many
as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law.”

Romans ii. 12. But it will be noticed that v. 16 says: “In
the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, by Jesus
Christ, according to my gospel,” showing that a knowledge of
Christ is necessary.

“The devils believe there is one God and tremble.” James
ii. 19. “But there is none other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved” (referring to the
name of Jesus). John iv. 12.

“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved. How, then, shall they call on him in whom they
have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom
they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher? Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
Word of God.” Rom. x. 13-17.

“And this is life eternal: that they might know thee, the
only ue God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John
XVii. 3.

It seems so difficult to grasp fully the idea that in all past
ages God has only been choosing a few to occupy the position
of kings and priests—rulers and teachers—to reign with
Christ in the millennial age; yet it is the main line of thought
running through the Scriptures, in types and positive state-
ments, from Genesis to Revelation.

Seeing that it would not be difficult to understand that,
while the “few chosen”—the “elect” taken out of the Gen-
tiles (Ethnon—nations), Acts xv. 14—have been receiving
their education by giving themselves wholly to studying the
Scriptures of truth, “which are able to make wise unto salva-
tion” 1 Tim. iv. 15, 16; 2 Tim. ii. 15; 2 Tim. iit. 15); and
were being led into all truth by the spirit of truth, the many
have had little or no knowledge of God and Christ. “They
were suffered to walk after their own ways.” Acts xiv. 16.
But their opportunity will come afterwards. Acts xv. 16, 17.

Surely the “narrow way” leading to the “royal priesthood”’
(1 Peter ii. 9), is a dificult way, and few have ever found
it, and they will in due time receive the “crown,” because
they have pressed forward along the line toward the mark,
for the prize of the high calling of God, in Christ Jesus.
Phil. iii. 14. For the joy that was set before them of testi-
fying to the nations that Jesus Christ “gave himself a ransom
for all”; “that God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not per-
ish, but have everlasting life.” John ili. 16. Jesus says:
“J pray not for the world, but for them thou hast given me.
that they may all be one. As thou, Father, art in me, and |
in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me.” John xvii. 9-21.

Under the Jaw, when they came to reap their harvest (Ley.
xxiii. 10), a sheaf was taken as a wave offering—the first
fruits of the harvest—typifying Christ. 1] Cor. xv. 23. Fifty
days after, two wave loaves were brought out, the first fruits
unto the Lord—v. 17--a type of the “body” of Christ, chosen
and perfected by the Holy Spirit, given at Pentecost.

“Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth. that
we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.” James
i. 18. “The first fruits unto God and the Lamb.” Rey. xiv.
4. Then there must be other fruits—other creatures—to fol-
low. As in the type, after the first fruits were taken out. the
field of grain was not destroyed, but harvested. The chaff was
thrown away in both cases.

“Tf the first fruits be holy, the lump is also holy.”
xi. 16.

“We who have the first fruits of the Spirit, are waiting for
the adoption.” Rom. vili. 23.

“The earnest expectation of the creature (Kttsis—whole
creation) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
Ver. 18; “because the creature itself, also shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God.” Ver. 21.

Rom.

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Vol. 1—3

(7-8)

The evidence is abundant, that we are at brink of the time
spoken of: “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all
nations shall come,” Hag. ii. 7: transferring authority from
Satan’s kingdom, to the kingdom of God. “Zhen all the kin-
dreds of the nations shall worship before thee.” Psa. xxii. 27.
“Then, the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for
them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the
deaf shall be unstopped. Anda high way (not a narrow way)

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PirrssurcH, Pa.

shall be there, und a way, it shall be called the way of holi-
ness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for
those; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to
Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they
shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall
flee away.” Isa. 35.

B. W. K.

THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

Very confused notions are held by many as to the work of
judgment in the future age. The popular idea on the subject
being something like this:

The Father, robed as a judge, with silvery hair, and stern
aspect, is seated on a great white throne. By his side stands
the Saviour with loving eyes and pleading face. The world of
mankind is marshalled before him. They come up in close
ranks, and with down-cast faces toward the Judge. The very
large majority are addressed by him in a voice of thunder, and
ordered to depart toward the left. Trembling with despair
they hurry away, and are at once seized by a guard of demons,
and are swiftly dragged, shrieking with terror, down, down,
down. In the advancing crowd, there comes now and then one,
who is at once recognized by the Saviour as a true christian ;
introduced to the Father as such; who with modulated voice
welcomes him to the right hand; where he is immediately
crowned, and seated with the angels to view the remainder of
the solemen scene. This separating work to continue until all
who have ever lived have passed the tribunal; the whole period
of time occupied being something less than 24 hours, thus con-
stituting “the day of judgment.”

While some features of this picture are drawn from sym-
bolic Bible imagery, the conception as a whole is very far from
being a scriptural one. As to the gathering of the world be-
fore the Judge in a kind of military review, and the iminediate
separation of the classes, while it is the likeness in the figure,
it is of necessity as far from the real, as a type is from its
antitype.

THREE GREAT PERIODS OF SEPARATION

are, we think, clearly revealed in God’s Word: “The separation
of the chaff from the wheat.” Matt. iii, 10, 12; “the tares
from the wheat,” Matt. viii. 37. 43; “and the sheep from the
goats.” Matt. xxv. 31.

The first separation is in the past. Jesus himself, while
on earth, thoroughly purged the floor of the Jewish house,
gathered the wheat into the Gospel church, and cast the chaff
into a fire, which, culminating at the destruction of Jerusalem,
burns even yet against the Jew. So far from marshalling that
nation in rank and file before him, they were not even aware
of the test then made, and were condemned because they knew
not the day of their visitation.

The second great separation was due to take place at the
end of this aionos [age] i. e., closing period of the Gospel dis-
pensation. This work has actually been going on in our midst,
and the world and worldly church know nothing of it. So in
the last great harvest in the age of judgment, God’s truth, the
two-edged sword, will quietly, but surely, do the dividing work ;
and that Word not spoken but written, will plainly manifest
the sheep and the goats.

THE TERM ‘‘DAY’’

in Bible times was frequently used as now, to cover a long
but definite period; as for instance: “The day” in which “Je-
hovah God made the earth and the heavens.” Gen. ii. 4. “The
day of the temptation in the wilderness.” Heb. iii. 8. [40
years]. “The day of salvation.” 2 Cor. vi. 2. [Gospel age].

As to the period comprised in “the day of judgment,” if
the student will but faithfully use a reference Bible or a con-
cordance, and find the amount and kind of work to be accom-
plished “in that day,” he will soon be glad to accept of Peter’s
explanation of it, that “one day is with the Lord as a thousand
years ;” and believing the Revelation of Jesus Christ, rejoice
in the promise there given, to “reign with him a thousand
vears.” As to

THE KIND OF JUDGING

which is to be carried on, we must consulé the Word if we
would get the truth. Turning to the book of “Judges,” we
find that after the death of Joshua, the Israelites forscok Je-
hovah, and worshipped Baal. To bring them to their senses,
their enemies were allowed to triumph over them. When they
repented “Jehovah raised up judges; who delivered them out
of the hand of those that spoiled them.” For instance, “When

the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah, Jehovah raised up
a deliverer Othniel. And the spirit of Jehovah came upon him,
and he judged Israel, and went out to war, and prevailed, and
the Jand had rest for forty years,” until Othniel died. Thus
it continued through the pericd of the Judges until Samuel,
who “judged Israel all the days of his life.’ When Samuel
had grown old, the Elders of Israel asked him for ‘‘a King to
judge us like all the nations.” 1 Sam. viii. 5, 20.

A judge, then, in those days, was a person eagerly sought
after; a ruler to be desired; who would deliver his people from
oppression, administer justice to the wronged, and bring peace
and joy to those over whom he exercised authority.

The world, and even the church, at the present time, led
astray by an unscriptural theology, puts far away the idea of
Christ’s presence to judge [rule] the world, as something to be
dreaded by all. Not so the Heaven-inspired prophets of old.
To them it was the one grand and glorious epoch for which,
as Paul said, “creation groaneth.” Listen to David and the
sweet singers of Israel, in the first psalm sung, by the first
divinely appointed choir, at the home-bringing of the ark.

Let the heavens be glad,
And let the earth rejoice:
And let men say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof:
Let the fields rejoice, and all that are therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing aloud
At the PRESENCE of JENOVAII.

BECAUSE HE COMETH

To JUDGE THE EARTII.
O give thanks unto Jehovah,

For he is good,
For WIS MERCY ENDURETIL FOREVER.

We might multiply quotations like the above, but they
ought to be familiar to the faithful student of the Word.

WHY

did “all the holy prophets since the world began” long for
“that day” when the anointed should be present fo rule, to
reign, to judge?

WHY

does all christendom of this age shrink at {he bare inention
of that day?

IN ‘‘THE DAY OF THE LORD,’’

as in the days of creation, there is an evening and a morning.
So the Jews kept their time: beginning their day with eve-
ning. It is God’s order. First the cross, then the crown. The
night was forty years long to the children of Israel. To the
Gospel church it has been many centuries. So the nations in
the coming age must first run the race before they receive the
prize. They have not been on the race course—the narrow
way—yet. And during their trial, as in ours. there must be
“weeping for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

Many who have failed to “search the scriptures” as com-
manded have seen only this night of darkness; and it has
hung before them like a funeral pall, cutting off the light of
the glory beyond.

A DARK NIGHT

is indeed closing over a sleeping church, and a blind world;
during which many woes will be poured out upon them. But
when they have well learned the lesson of obedience through
suffering, as all past overcomers have, they will reap the
blessed reward.

The day of judgment, then, divides itself into two parts.
First, a “time of trouble” during which the nations will be
subdued, and humbled, and taught the lesson of Nebuchad-
nezvar their type, “that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” Secondly, a
morning, in which the Sun of Righteousness will rise with
healing in his wings; driving away the mists of ignorance
and superstition; destroying the miasma of sin; and bringing
light, and life, and love, to the downtrodden sons of men.

[34]

SEPTEMBER, 1879

During the first named period, such scriptures as the following
have a fulfillment:

“Behold, the day of the Lorp cometh, cruel both with wrath
and fierce anger, to lay the jand desolate: and he shall destroy
the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and
the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun
shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not
cause her light to shine. [Symbolical of a spiritual night].
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked
for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud
to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
Isa. xill. 9, 11. “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for
thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;
thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

“The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered
his voice, the earth melted .... come, behold the works of
Jehovah, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He
maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth; he breaketh
the bow and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the
chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will
be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psa. xlvi. 6, 10. How does he make wars to cease? Evidently
by the “desolations” above mentioned. The nations will be
so satiated with bloodshed: and by bitter experience will so
realize the misery of injustice, and oppression, and sin, that
they will loathe themselves and their ways, and will willingly
turn and seek for purity and peace. But to produce this
effect the command will first go forth: “Proclaim ye this
among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men,
let all the men of war draw near; let them come forth:

BEAT YOUR PLOWSHARES INTO SWORDS,

and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, J am
strong.” Joel iii. 9, 10. The dreadful lesson of the exceeding
sinfulness of sin will be learned in time, and well learned,
for, “thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.”
Psa. cx. 3. Then, after they have been brought to a condition
of willingness to let “this man reign over” them, we find as a
result of his judgeship.” they shall

Vou. I

, OCTOBER. 1879

ZION’S WATCH TOWER (2,

BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES,

and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up
sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
The preceding verses tell us when this bicssed time will
come, and also other events in this glorious day of Christ’s
presence, as Judge over all the earth. “It shall come to pass
in the last days, that the mountain [government or kingdom]
of the Lorp’s house [Temple: which Temple ye arc. 1 Cor. iii.
17.] shall be in the top of the mountains [great kingdoms of
earth], and shall be exalted above the hills [lesser kingdoms] ;
and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go
and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the MOUNTAIN of Je-
hovah, to the House of the God of Jacob; and he will teach
us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion
[the glorified Temple] shall go forth the law, and the word of
Jehovah from Jerusalem” [restored earthly Jerusalem and her
priesthood. xxxili. 20, 21]. We now quote Psalm xcvii:

“Let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him:
Righteousness and judgment [justice] the establishment of his
throne.
A fire goeth before him,
And burneth up his enemies round about,
His lightnings [truth] enlighteneth the world:
The earth [nations] saw and trembled.
The hills [earthly governments] melted like wax at the pres-
ence of Jehovah.
At the presence of the Lorp of the whole earth.
The Heavens {immortalized saints in heavenly places] declare
his righteousness, gnd all the people see his glory.
Zion heard and was glad:
And the daughters of Judah rejoiced, Because of thy June-
MENTS, O Jehovah.”

In view of the glorious prospect before the church and the
world, can we not join the prophet in the closing words?
“Light is sown for the righteous.

And gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in Jehovah. ve righteous; and give thanks at the

remembrance of his holiness.” W. J. M.

re i

“THE DAY OF THE LORD”

(Continued)

We now come to the consideration of the church’s condi-
tion during this period of trouble. We have seen that “great
and terrible” things are coming upon the world—overturning
of all governments, law and order-—utter wreck of society.
Will the church go through this “iime cf trouble such as was
not since there was a nation?”

The answer, to be understood, must recognize two classes
of Christians as being IN THE CiurRcnH now and during the
gospel age, viz., the very few entirely consecrated ones who
have “the same mind which was also in Christ Jesus,” 1. €.,
a mind cr desire to do only the Father’s will; those in whom
his word abides so that they “bring forth much fruit”—
“meekness. patience, godlikeness, brotherly-kindness, charity,”
etc.— (Gal. v. 22.) These are the “little flock,” “the sanctified
in Christ Jesus, who have their fruit unto holiness.” This
small part of the living church will be found watching, and
are told that, if they do so, they will “escape all those things
coming on the world.” We understand that the escape is ef-
fected by their being “caught up to meet the Lord in the air”
( 1 Thess. iv. 17); yet that their taking will be unseen by thie
world.

While the few “escape,” the majority of professing Chris-
tians, sincere, earnest, zealous, in their way though they be,
are yet, on their own profession, not entirely consecrated, and
do net wish to be. They are willing to take the Lord as a
partner and defer a little to his wishes in their acts of life.
The partnership is composed of Christ, the world, and SELF;
and these three modify the life and bring it to a “luke-warm”
condition. But to cast out the world and to debase self, so
that the only controlling power is Christ, is to break up all
partnership, and brings to the condition Paul expresses: ‘For
me to live is Christ,” because Christ rcigns supreme.

This class will be overtaken by the “day of the Lord” un-
prepared. Because, “overcharged with the world. sclf, and the
eares of this life,” they are not watching, and are therefore
taken “unawares,” and as in a “snare”? (see Luke xxi. 34-35),
“and they shall not escape.” This class, sometimes called

“earnal-minded. babes in Christ;” are blessed in this great
trouble; for, though the love of Christ does not constrain them
to entire consecration because of the great strength of the
world and self, yet, when put into this “furnace” of trouble,
the miserable dross will be eliminated, their eves relieved of
worldly blindness and anointed with truth that they may truly
see; their garments, teo. which have become so torn that “the
shame of their nakedness appears:” and, spotted by the flesh
and soiled by contact with the world. these, with much anguish
and pain, shall, during this “day of wrath. wash their robes
and make them white in the blood of the Lamb,” and “‘the
Lamb in the throne shall feed them.”

When Christ is enthroned, has “taken his great power.”
and commenced his reign as earth’s new King. these judg-
ments of the “great day of wrath” are the first acts. the first
evidences to the world that the “Kingdom of Heaven.” com-
posed of Christ Jesus and his overcoming church, above re-
ferred to. has been established or “set up.” When thus en-
throned. the Bride (the “little flock’) is arith him. Who?
“They that are with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
and “In righteousness he doth judge and make war.” Jesus
premised “To him that orercometh I will give to sit with me
in my throre.’-~-T will give him power over the nations.”

David shows the position of the saints ar orercomers to be
with Chri-t 71 rowrr. (Ps. exlix. 79): “This honor have all
his sainfs—to execute the judgments written.”

Tt is then. while the “little flock.” the “Bride.” the ‘“orer-
comtig church.” is thus enthroned with Jesus, and while she
is inflicting the judgments written, and while the other class
of Christinns in the church, the ecarnal-minded ones, left in
the world are “washing their robes,” that the Lamb feeds
them with truth. and leads them (some quickly. others more
slowly) unto living fountains of water. bringing. finally. as
many as will be led, to the heavenly condition, bevond all
tears, pain and sorrow, receiving them into his eternal home:
and so we sce them (Rev. vii. 14) “clothed in white robes and
palms in their hands:” and we are told: “These are they that

(35) ay

1-2)

came out of’ (Gr., after or through) “the great tribulation,
und have washed their robes,” etc.; “Therefore are they before
the throne and serve God in his temple.”

High honor to be a servant in God’s temple; but not so
great as to be “the temple” itself. Glorious position before
the throne; but not so highly exalted as the “Bride” in the
throne. Grand to be overcomers of the world, and to carry
i palm in hand, even by coming through “the great tribula-
tion:’’ but not so grand as to be accounted worthy to escape
and to be crowned a conqueror by the Kings of kings.

“The King’s daughter [“the Lamb’s wife”’] is all glorious
within; her clothing is of wrought gold; she is brought unto
the King in [white] raiment of needlework;” and who will
say that her garments are not more grand than those of “the
virgins, her companions, who follow her,” though they also be
clothed in ‘robes washed white’?—though they also be brought
before the King with gladness and rejoicing? (Ps. xlv. 13.)

But though the “little flock” escape the great tribulation
coming on the world, there is another tribulation coming also
in “the day of the Lord.” It comes before the translation of
the overcomers, and is a furnace into which the church, wheat
(true and false, whether advanced Christians or babes in
Christ) and tares (hypocrites)—all go into this trial. Of
this Paul says, “The fire will try every man’s work of what
sort it is.”

Every believer in Christ is represented as a builder put-
ting up, from the materials furnished in God’s Word, a “holy
faith and holy life,” all assistance and direction being fur-
nished through the Spirit.

Some are building with gold, silver and precious stones—
truth; others with hay, wood and stubble—errors ;—both build
on the rock—Christ Jesus; both have a foundation in the rock.
The tares (hypocrites) know not the rock, and build on the
sand. In this illustration by Paul, the two classes of Chris-
tians are distinctly seen: the little flock, who have built wise-
ly of truths, the fire of that day does not affect—they receive
the reward promised to overcomers; those whose building is
burned lose the high calling (the bride’s position) though
“they themselves be saved yet as by fire.”—1 Cor. ili. 11-15.

The same trial of the church is shown in Ps. xci. We un-
derstand the trial to come through the rise of infidelity, which
will so shake and shatter all religious beliefs, as to expose the
multitudinous errors and burn them (errors, “wood, hay, stub-
ble’) up, leaving as the representatives of Christianity those
who hold the truth (‘“gold, silver,” etc.), the “little flock” who,
we helieve. will shortly after be translated.

This psalm vividly describes, under the symbols of “pesti-
lence, snares, terrors, arrows,” etc., the enemy which assaults
the church.

Infidelity is already as a pestilence, a miasma abroad
throughout the world. It is in the store room, the street car,
on the railroad, in the newspapers, in the Sunday schools and
in the churches. Everywhere, as a pestilence, it goes suiting
itself to the various surroundings. It is in the street out-
spoken, in the paper a joke or a side cut at Christianity, in
the Sundav school and pulpit it is toned down, yet none the
less powerful. as it suggests that it is not best to think of the
seeming incongruities of Jonah and the great fish, or Samson,
or Joshua and the sun. Another form of this pestilence is lack
of faith and trust in the promises of God. The promises are
quoted in prayer, etc.. vet a fulfilment is seldom expected. The
doctrines and traditions of men are sought and accepted more
readily than the Word of God. There is a form of godliness
without the power. It is really unbelief. (“When the Son of
Man cometh. shall he find faith on the earth?)

Yes, infidelity is svstematically and rapidly undermining
the confidence of the most enlightened. in sacred things, and
its power and influence are increased by the fact that so very
many of the doctrines which it assails are really false—“‘wood,
hay and stubble.” But as one doctrine after another which
once they held sacred is torn to shreds, they begin to doubt
all, and are in danger of throwing away truths as well, so
great is their disgust.

Some will be taken as in « “snare.” All who are not
watching and who have not the light of God’s Word upon the
pathwav in which thev tread, will be ensnared by the strong
arguments and deep-laid plans of error. Tt is only the faith-
full and trusting that shall be unharmed. those who can sav
“He is my refuge and fortress. my God. in Him will I trust.”

They onlv will stand “the arrows.” (“The wicked shoot out

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PitrspurGH, PA.

arrows, even bitter words.”) The scoffs and derision which
will attach to all who will then claim to bear the name of
Christ, will be too much for many. It will pierce and wound
them and cause them to retire, unless they have for a shield
and buckler God’s truth. (v. 4.) Only a clear and harmonious
understanding of God’s Word (the truth) will enable us to
withstand the various and powerful attacks of this time.

The apostle foresaw this time and warns us of “the evil
day.” (Eph. 6:11-12) “Put on the whole armor of God that
you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,” for
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, &c. “Wherefore take
unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to with-
stand in that evil day.” It is a day more for defence than ag-
gressive warfare—withstanding.

Paul describes the whole armor; have you taken it? Are
you wearing it now? Unless you have it on you are not pre-
pared for the “evil day” into which we are now entering. Some
have one part of this armor and some another. Few have it
all. There are few who can not add to their defensive prepa-
ration. Some Christians have caught the end of the girdle of
truth, wrapped it about them and started with the sword (the
Word) to attack the powers of darkness. These are they who
have only the intellectual, and not the experimental, knowledge
of the Word of truth. Stop, brother, put on the whole armor,
You will need the helmet of salvation (the acceptance of
Christ’s atoning work), the breast-plate of righteousness, (ex-
perimental religion), and a shield of faith and trust, else you
may be pierced by many an arrow. And do not neglect to have
“your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace”—
meekness, gentleness, patience, long suffering, love, lest you
soon become weary in the rugged way. Others put on the
breast-plate and helmet and shield, but lack the girdle and
sword. They feel prepared for every thing and spend all their
time polishing and admiring their armor. These are they who
accept of the salvation offered by our Lord and rejoice in it.
but who have little or no intellectual knowledge or understand-
ing of the matter. They believe, but scarcely know what or
why. They see no necessity for anything but a thread of truth
for a girdle, and therefore do not seek to grow in knowledge
of the truth. The sword, the Word of God, they know little
about; it is heavy; they cannot handle it easily—they see little
use for it. They used it a little to assist in putting on their
breast-plate, but since that it lies idle. Stop, brother, sister.
that armor might do you good under some circumstances, but
it will not do in this “evil day.” The battle will weary vou.
and you will faint in the way if you have not the girdle of
truth (a sustaining strength derived from an understanding
of the Word) to brace and strengthen you. You may have
ever so large a shield of faith and other armor, but you cannot
do without the sword (the Word). Te enemy will attack you
and take away your shield and other armor unless you have
the sword to defend them.

Yes, friends, we need the whole armor if we would stand.
If you have it complete—head and heart religion—then you
will be of those described as being “able to quench all the fiery
darts [arrows] of the wicked.” “A thousand shall fall at thy
side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not
come nigh thee.” (Psa. 91:7) Though thousands of Christians,
and ones in whom you had rested much confidence, fall at your
side, yet, so armed with the panoply of God, nothing can com-
pel you to doubt the presence and power of our Lord.

Even now many begin to fall. Already errors are beginning
to raise their heads and taunt with “bitter words” the truth,
errors, which if it were possible, would deceive and ensnare
the very elect.

Think not that you will not be shaken, that your faith—
shield—will not need to be defended. “The fire of that day
shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

“Who shall be able to stand?”

“My soul, be on thy guard,
Ten thousand foes arise;

The hosts of sin are pressing hard,
To draw thee from the prize.”

This fall of Christianity, religious influence and restraint,
and the rise of infidelity. prepares the way and is the door by
which the trouble upon the world (which quickly follows this
upon the church) is introdueed. They both are ports of the
trouble of “the great dav of God.”

[36]

“RECONCILIATION OF THE WORLD”

B. I have called as we arranged, to continue our talk,
and would like if you are at leisure to inquire concerning the
reconciliation of God to man. How can he be said to have be-
come reconciled to the world if he always loved the world?

A. I am always glad to talk on these precious subjects,
and always have leisure for them. Let me in answering your
question, ask you, What work did Jesus come to do?

‘e He came to make atonement for the sins of the whole
world.

A. I hope you get the force of the word atonement. Mr.
Webster defines it as meaning, not only satisfaction for the
debt incurred, but also reconciliation between the offended
parties—an at-one-ment, as the word indicates. Two persons
can only be entirely at one when in perfect harmony of mind
and will. Man broke God’s righteous law and though the debt
incurred has been paid by his substitute, yet having degen-
erated morally, mentally, and physically, he is not inclined to
be in harmony with God. As “God is of purer eyes than to
behold evil,” sin became a barrier between God and his crea-
tures, interrupting communion and fellowship—and though
still loving mankind, God hates their sin.

As sin led the first sinners to hide from God’s presence, so
it has ever since tended to separate them, and thus we see God
and the sinner arrayed as opponents—God, from his very pur-
ity and holiness, the opponent of sin; man from the degrading
influences of sin, the opponent of holiness.

The means by which these opponents are again brought to-
gether and into harmony and communion, is called in Scrip-
ture—reconciliation—atonement. A8 we saw at our last in-
terview, God was not reconciled by permitting his mercy to
overrule his justice, thus excusing sin, but by providing Christ
as the sinner’s substitute, so that “You who were Sa -%
alienated and enemies in mind by wicked works, hath he
reconciled in the body of his flesh through DEATH.” (Col. i.
21) So we see that the reconciliation is complete from God’s
standpoint ever since Christ made “reconciliation for iniquity,”
(Dan. ix. 24) in his death.

And now, God makes overtures to the sinner, sending word
by his apostles, telling how he was reconciled to them all, and
beseeching them to return to fellowship and communion with
him. But while God is now reconciled, man, except the “little
flock,” is not at one with, or reconciled to God.

B. You say that only the “little flock” are reconciled to
God; how does this harmonize with Paul’s statement that
“God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself’’—not
the little flock only.

A. Tf reconciling and making at one means the bringing
into perfect harmony of mind and will, it must be evident to
vou that only the little flock are yet so reconciled to God’s
will and to God’s way as to prefer it to their own, conse-
quently only these are perfectly at one with the Father. The
saints only can trulv say: “We have received the at-onc-
ment.” (Rom. v. 11) We and our Father are in full harmony
and communion.

B. Do you hold then, that the reconciling of the world
is a future work?

A. I do: We who are now reconciled, have now “commit-
ted unto us the ministry of reconciliation.” As soon as fully
reconciled ourselves, we join with God in telling the sworld of
his love and “reconciliation to them by the death of his Son.”
We are thus “ambassadors of God. As though he besought
through us,” we call “Be ye reconciled to God.”

As many as have ears to hear may hear, but our work of
proclaiming this grand message does not end with this pres-
ent life. for we find that in the new heaven and new earth
(next, or Millennial age), we, as the Bride of Christ, carry on
the work of ambassadors, for then “The Spirit and the Bride
say. Come.”—Rev. xxii. 17.

B. If you believe in the full reconciliation of the world,
does it not amount to Universalism?

A. No. f think not, although I do expect that the majority
of the race will ultimately be saved to the lesser salvation.
That the benefits of the cross to mankind are as far-reaching
as was the curse of sin, is certainly Paul’s argument in Rom.
v. 15, 16. and 20, 21. And where sin reigned unto death, grace
(God’s favor in Christ.) did much more abound. And as by
one man’s (Adam’s) disobedience, manv were made sinners.
and death passed upon all; so also by one man’s (second
Adam’s,) obedience (“He was obedient even unto death,”) the
world is justified unto life, or may live again.

B. But to be justified to life bv Christ would not imply
reconciliation to God, would it? Are they not simply brought
back to natural life by Christ’s death. and will they not be
resurrected in exactly the same condition of mind and body
as when they died?

A. You seem to forget that mankind lost more than we

[37]

now as natural men possess; you are correct in saying that
Christ’s death justified their return to natural life only: But
what is perfect natural life? It has been enjoyed by but one
of the race thus far, the first Adam. He was created perfect
and upright. He was perfect mentally and physically, but
when sin entered, it robbed him of those perfections and his
posterity all partake of this degeneracy, so that now man 1s
‘prone to sin as the sparks to fly upward,” and even when “be-
gotten by the word of truth,” he finds “a law in his members
(his fallen humanity,) warring against the law of his mind. so
that the good he would do, he does not do, but that evil which
he would not do, that he does.” (Rom. vii. 7, 19.) If then all
since Adam are more or less depraved, his is the only ~ample
of our nature undepraved. He was the natural man. Our con-
dition is imperfect and unnatural. It is to this condition of
perfect natural life, that Christ's death enables the iorld to
return.

B. Will they rise from death perfect men like Adem °

A. By no means. Probably they will not rise maimed,
blind or otherwise deformed, but with that degree of life which
we now term health, yet they will not be perfect beings, for it
requires all of the Millennial age to accomplish fully the work
of “restoring all things.” It is therefore the restitution age.
or “times of restitution.” The one who restores is the Second
Adam—Head and body—“The Christ.” The fall was gradual,
and the restoring will be gradual also. A prophetic symbolism
referring to this work, says: “The leaves of the trees were for
the healing of the nations”’—teaching that the healing is a
gradual work.

R. Then will all men be thus restored?

A. It will be the privilege of all men to go in and possess
all that was once enjoyed by Adam, except those who in the
present life have committed the unpardonable sin. But from
Rev. xx, 7-9, we have reason to believe that all aill not even
then, when God’s love is fully manifested; when the know!]-
edge of the Lord fills the whole earth, and when the paths of
righteousness are so plain that “The wayfaring man though a
fool, need not err therein.” ( This is not the case now, you
know.) Some even under such favorable circumstances ill
not avail themselves of the privilege to become reconciled to
God, but prefer sin—such die the second death. But then un-
like the present time, the sin of one will not be permitted to
sink others as well as himself, but “The soul (person) that
sinneth tt shall die.”

B. You said that Adam was the only example of a per-
fect man? Was not Jesus as perfect a man (in his human na-
ture) as Adam?

A. Jesus was undefiled, being “born not of the will of
the flesh, but of God”—“begotten of the Holy Ghost,” he was
uncontaminated by sin.—“Holy, harmless, undefiled. separate
from sinners,” yet, in his human, physical being, he was
perfect and consequently not like Adam, who became imperfect.
Remember that Jesus “took upon him the likeness of sinful
flesh.” Rom. viii. 3.

B. One more question: Will the World ever come to a
higher plane than that of perfect humanity? Will thev ever
become spiritual beings like the angels, and like the “little
flock” which has the promise of being resurrected spiritual
bodies ?

A. T know of no scriptures which teach that any but the
‘Jittle flock,” or bride company, and the company who come
out of the great tribulation (Rev. vii. 14.) will ever be given
spiritual bodies. It certainly is not included in “restoring all
things,” for that only can be restored which was ones
possessed and lost. Adam never had a spiritual body: it could
not therefore be restored. Nor are we told that anv prenuse
of spiritual bodies or any existence other than as a man was
ever God’s design for him. “The creature shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the ehil-
dren of God.” (Rom. viii. 21.) They will be freed again from
bondage to sickness, pain and death, mental ailments, and will
enjov the liberty of life in common with all God’s creituvres
on every plane of existence.

This same “liberty and freedom” was enjoyed by Adam
hefore he sinned. The liberty which he lost frem the laek of
the knowledge of good and evil, the restored race may keep.
because they will have that knowledge. But mark me. T only
sav that J know of no Scriptures which teach us that a spirit-
ual life was intended for the world. What God may do in
future ages we know not. “Who hath known the mind of the
Lord ?”

We can know of his purpose onlv as he revenls it and
revelations vet given reach onlv to the Restitution age.

B. I have received some new ideas on reconeiliation and
atonement. I see that the work is great. and God's prepara
tion for it, large and ample. From my heart 7 thank him

teak

(3) ZION’S WATCH TOWER

that the news of his being reconciled to me, and his readiness
to receive ine into communion and fellowship, ever reached me.

As I see more fully “to what I am called” and “what is
the hope of my calling,” I intend by his help to make my

WATCH

Watchman, on the lonely tower,
*Mid the desert’s arid sands,

Tell us of the dawning hour,
Tell us of the moving bands.

When the fierce simoon

PittssurGH, PA.

calling and election sure. “With this hope in me, I'll purify
myself even as he is pure,” and “lay aside every weight, and
run with patience the race set before me, looking to Jesus.”
Good night.

TOWER

Seek they now the shelt’ring palm,
Where the cooling springs await?
Cheered, refreshed, now press they on,
Toward the destined City’s gates?

is near;

Watchman! give the warning cry ;
Raise soul-stirring notes of cheer,
As the journey’s end draws nigh!

J. L. F., Montrose, Pa.

ne aS

TRUTH IS BREAD

The typical use of Bread is well established by Bible evi-
dence. That the Lord teaches spiritual things through the
natural is apparent to many. One phase of this fact is seen in
the advantage taken by the Saviour of natural wants as il-
lustrations.

When inen were gathering to the great annual feast, under
the influence of heat and toil, when water would naturally be
the uppermost thought, he stands up and exclaims, “If any
man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” (John i. 37.) So
when the multitude had long been with him, and were hungry,
he not only had compassion, and fed them, but he took ad-
vantage of the occasion to lead them higher: “Labor not for
the meat (food) which perisheth, but for that meat which en-
dureth unto everlasting life.” (John v. 2-7.) This is but tem-
poral and used as a steppingstone. That is superior and is
of real and abiding importance.

In the wilderness journey of the children of Israel they
were fed with manna. That people and their journey were
tvpical of the true church and their journey to the Heavenly
inheritance, and their manna was an appropriate representa-
tion of our “Daily Bread.” As theirs came from above like a
shower, so ours is the True Bread that came down from
Heaven. The mind of the carnal Jew failed to see any more
than the natural—the manna—though regarding it as a mi-
raculous “werk.” and “sign” of Moses, being a leader appointed
of the Lord. So when Christ suggested the idea of feeding
them, and the importance of their believing on him, they an-
~wered: “What siqn showest thou then that we may see, and
helieve thee? What dost thou iwork? Our fathers did eat man-
na in the desert: as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from
heaven to eat.’” (John vi. 30-31) Mark the answer of Jesus:
“Moses gave vou not that bread from heaven; but my Father
viveth you the 4rue bread from heaven.” The manna was
hread. but it was not the true bread, it was but a shadow.
“For the bread of God is he that cometh down from heaven and
civeth life unto the world.” And in answer to their request,
“Lord, evermore give us this bread.” he said, “I am the bread
of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger,” &c., &c.,
—John vi, 32-35,

Nothing could he clearer than that the manna was given as
a type of the Lord Jesns—the Word of God. He led them in
the wilderness, suffered them to hunger, and fed them with
manna that they might learn the important lesson, “That man
deth not live by bread alone. but by every word of God.” (Deut.
vill. 3.) They were dull scholars, however, and like many
now, saw only the letter. and valued the natural far more
than the spiritual, The type could sustain the natural life only

“THE TEN

Many of our readers are more or less familiar with the ap-
plication of the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25). to a
movement in this last generation in reference to the Lord’s
coming. For such readers especielly thfs article is prepared,
and we ask for its suggestions vour eareful anl prayerful at-
tention. This is specially important now, beenuse some of
what has been eonsidered the well-established features of the
parable, are being disearded by some of our brethren, and a
new departure is by them being made. We do not object to
changing our opinions on any subject, or discarding former
applications of prophecy. or any other scripture, when we see

for a brief season, but the real bread sustains spiritual life
forever. In either case, however, the bread must be eaten,
hence the context: Your fathers did eat manna and are dead:
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man
may eat thereof and not die. “If any man eat of this bread
he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh
which I will give for the life of the world.” “Except ye eat
....ye have no life,” but “whoso eateth.... hath eterna] life.”

By a careful consideration of the whole passage, it will be
seen that the natural terms, bread. eat, drink, flesh, blood and
life, are used to represent spiritual things, and to discern this
distinction is very important. To confound the natural and
spiritual is easy, and to see only the natural is to be as the
Jews were, who counted the words of Jesus hard sayings, and
murmured saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to
eat?” Even the disciples had difficulty, and many of them
eould not appreciate his explanation: “It is the spirit that
quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak
unto you are spirit and are life.’ Nothing can be explained
only to such as are able to receive it, by previous leading or
training, and hence many walked no more with him. To the
twelve Jesus said: “Will ye also go away?” Oh! that Peter’s
answer may be the language of our hearts: “Lord, to whom
shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” Truth is
adapted to the various conditions of Christian life from con-
version onward,—from milk to the strongest meat; and it is
necessary that we receive it, digest and assimilate; and use the
strength which the Lord thus supplies.

Are we feeding on God’s truth? Is it our daily bread? If
so, we are his disciples indeed.—John viii. 31.

The idea that we are all right, and sure of the kingdom
because of an experience te had five, ten, twenty or forty years
ago, is a dangerous one. What is our condition now? That
seems to be the great question. “He that eateth me shall live
by me.” It is not enough to eat once, or once a year, but con-
stantly.

“Tf ve continue in my word then are ye my disciples in-
deed.” “If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my
love.” ‘By the which ye are saved if ye keep in memory what
I preached unto you.” “Tf ye live after the flesh ye shall die,
but if ve through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body
ye shall live.” This must refer to the spiritual life; and that
it needs support or it will be lost is true, or words have no
meaning. Manv are sickly and dying for want of the bread.
Those who are living on the good word, are “strong in the Lord
and in the power of his might.” “Lord, evermore give us this
bread.” Feed us until we shall want no more. J. H. P.

VIRGINS”

a good reason for the change,—in fact, it is as important that
we should be willing to unlearn errors and mere traditions, as
to learn truth. The removal of error is as clearing the rubbish
from the surface that the beautiful verdure may appear. But
we should be careful in our anxiety to get rid of error, or to
build up a new theory, that we do not throw away any truth.
Tt is our duty to “prove all things,”—by the unerring Word,—
“and hold fast that which is good.”

It is confidently predicted that we will discard the whole
application, but we see no reason for so doing. Such a thought
as the possibility of giving up the general correctness of the

[38]

OctoseEr, 1879

application was first suggested by the prediction itself, and we
cannot avoid regarding such prediction as an effort to cause
such a change and'so fulfill an imaginary prophecy. It is not
so easy to tell what men will do, as to tell what they have
done; (even prophecy cannot be understood in detail until it
is fulfilled:) and we are sure that those who have made and
accepted the prediction are further now from the old applica-
tion than we are. This will be apparent presently to all who
understand the former application, and the new position taken,
and who are free enough from bondage to accept the truth as
from the Lord, irrespective of the vessel in which it is con-
veyed.

To appreciate the strength of the former application, we
must see the place or time in the gospel dispensation, where
the parable belongs, and to appreciate the weakness of the new
departure it is necessary to see the parallelism of the Jewish
and Gospel dispensations. The chart on which that beautiful
Bible argument is illustrated hangs before me as I write. We
regard it as a clear, simple and strong definite time argument.
From the death of Jacob to the death of Christ,—1845 years,—
is the measure of the first or twelve tribe dispensation. From
the death of Christ in the Spring of A. D. 33, until the Spring
of A. D. 1878, is the measure of the second—another period of
1845 years. The two dispensations are equal in length, the
second beginning where the first ends, at the cross, or death of
Christ. That was the meeting place or point of reconciliation
between God and man,—“reconciled to God by the death of
his Son;”—-Rom. v. 10. Hence Christ is our “Mercy Seat.”
The two cherubim made “of one measure and one size” (]
Kings vi. 25.) placed with wings extended on either side of the
merey seat, illustrate the equality of the two dispensations.
Types are exact, for being a feature of the law, they must be
fulfilled even to the jots and tittles. Hence though in some re-
spects the dispensations lap, there is a feature in which they do
not lap, or that part of the law would not be a perfect shadow.

The wonderful equality in the substance of these dis-
pensations as well as in various measures is familiar to you.
From the death of Jacob to the birth of Christ is equal to the
period from the death of Christ to the Autumn of A. D. 1844,
each being 181144 years. Each of these points was marked by
an important event in reference to the coming of the Lord.

The tarrying of Jesus for 30 years before his baptism and
entrance on the harvest work, has its parallel in the tarrying
time between 1844 and 1874, at which later point the harvest
of the Gospel dispensation began. Christ’s personal ministry
of 314 years, ending at his death, has its parallel in the 34%
years of harvest from the Autumn of 1874 until the Spring of
1878.

At his birth Christ came in the body prepared for sacrifice,
tarried thirty years, and came as Bridegroom and Reaper, and
three years and a half later he rode into Jerusalem as a King.
The closing work of that dispensation completed the pattern.
All the Jewish dispensation with its closing work, under the
supervision of Jesus in the flesh, was a pattern of the Gospel
dispensation and its closing work under the supervision of
Christ in the spiritual body. That was a fleshly dispensation
for the development of the typical seed, and was the period of
Jewish favor, while this has been the dispensation of the Spirit
for the development of the Gospel church, the true seed, and
God has during this latter half shown the Jews no favor as a
nation.

The Anglo-Turkish treaty of 1878, made about the time of
the Berlin Congress, securing certain legal favors to the Jews,
opening the door for their restoration, is certainly in harmony
with the application, and we are not ashamed of our rejoicing
at its confirmation. We regard this whole affair as a remark-
able confirmation of the truth of Bible prophecies, and of the
Gospel of Christ.

No one who is at all familiar with this argument, can fail
to see that whatever tends to weaken or set aside the parallel-
ism, weakens the whole position. As the former closed with its
three stages of the coming of Jesus, so this one closes with
three stages. In 1844 he was due to leave the most holy place.
(I write for those who, by virtue of the past education have
eyes to see or ears to hear). He was expected to come to earth,
and to do a great many things that were not due. by those
who had not learned that the law, which was a shadow. re-
quired that the high priest should tarry in the holy place to
cleanse it (the sanctuary means the holy place,) after he had
done his work in the most holy and left it. (See Lev. xvi.)
That the tarrying was thirty years or from 1844 until 1874
has often been shown. This position as you know was not
taken to make it a parallel to the thirty vears tarrying at the
first Advent, but was based on the Jubilee argument, and the
days of Daniel xii, but after having seen the arguments, prov-
ing that the Bridegroom was due then, then it was found that

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(3-4)

the two tarrying times like all the rest were parallel. Man did
not make the parallels, but with the Lord’s help found them.
Thus then they stand related to each other ;—at the end of the
Jewish dispensation Christ came first as a babe, second as
Bridegroom and Reaper, and third as a King; at this tiie.
the points of time exactly corresponding, Christ first came from
the Most Holy, and tarried in the Holy place, second as Bride-
groom and Reaper, and third as King.

What he did at first was necessary to complete the pattern,
and what he did at the second, was necessary to complete the
parallel. You have seen how the Parable of the Ten Virgins
belongs in the closing of the Gospel dispensation; and how
clearly the various parts of the parallel fit the points of time
above mentioned.

The movement is a representative one. Not all the church.
no not all living Christians “took their lamps and went forth
to meet the Bridegroom,” but it was an important movement
in the church, and ended in disappointment in 1844. “Whilst
the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept.” Ob-
serve how closely the tarrying time of the parable fits the
time for the tarrying in the holy place, as indicated by the
prophetic periods. The night of the parable and its tarrying
time are identical, ending when the Bridegroom comes.

That Christ has other offices than Bridegroom is true, and
we have learned that he comes at different stages or turns, in
harmony with his different offices, but be it observed that the
coming in this parable is his coming in the character of the
Bridegroom, and so far as this parable shows, the tarrytiy
was the tarrying of the Bridegroom.

The tarrying of the parable ends where the Bridegroom of
the parable comes. His presence in the character of the Bride-
groom is what puts an end to the tarrying. His presence
makes it morning. The ery made at midnight of the parable
points to the morning of the parable, and could not properly
continue after the tarrying had ended by the only way it could
end, the coming of the Bridegroom.

All who understand the arguments, admit that the tarrying
of the parable began in 1844, and ended in 1874, and it has
always been urged in favor of the ery which pointed to 1874,
for the coming of the Bridegroom, being the “midnight cry,”
because it began at midnight,— 1859— which is a very con-
sistent reason.

But whether or not it was the midnight cry of the parable
depends on whether it was true or not, or in other words,
whether or not the Bridegroom came in 1874. It will not do
to say Christ came in another character in 1874; no other char-
acter but that of the Bridegroom would meet the conditions
of the parable. And if the coming of the Bridegroom is yet
future, then the tarrying of the parable is not ended, the morn-
ing of the parable is not come, and that ery in such a case
was not the midnight cry, for two reasons, either of which
would kill its claim: It was not made at midnight, and the
Bridegroom did not come according to the ery. Now it is all
right to give up a position when one finds out he is wrong. but
it is neither consistent nor right to claim that the tarrying
ended in 1874. and thus prove that 1859 was midnight. and
yet for some other reason claim that the coming of the Bride-
groom is yet, and may be many years future. Convince ne
that the “coming” of that parable is future, and I will try to
do what it seems every honest and consistent man would do.
viz: admit the tarrying is not ended, and therefore the cry we
are talking of was not the true midnight ery.

Now, brethren, all who can hear me, I want it clearly un-
derstood that I have not given up the application of the par-
able, and can see no sufficient reason for so doing. I believe
the going forth ended in 1844, that the tarrying ended in
1874, and therefore the ery pointing to 1874 was the midnight
erv. and T believe it was consistent that the name “midnight
ery” then disappeared from the publication, because, as stated
at the time, it had done its work; but in harmony with that
faith I also believe that Christ came in the character of «a
Bridegroom in 1874.

That John introduced Christ in that character at the bhe-
ginning of the Jewish harvest, to complete the pattern (John
iii. 29), is to us an additional evidence of the position that
the parallel was due in 1874 at the beginning of the Gospel
harvest. It does not militate against this as a part of the
pattern because it may not have appeared in any of the publi
eations on this subject; truth is our heritage from Father,
no matter by whom it comes, and each part of the plan is
strenethened after it has past. It has troubled some to accept
the legitimate conclusion of the midnight erv arguments be-
evuse they did not understand the manner of Christ’s move-
ments. and because it was supposed that going into the mar-
riage meant translation. We are not translated, and there-
fore the coming of the Bridegroom must be future, is the sub-

[39]

(4-5)

stance of the thought in many minds. But for a long time
(ever since the Spring of 1875), it has been a matter of sur-
prise to some of us that any of us ever thought going in to
the marriage in that parable was translation. Not a word is
sald in it about the Bride, nor the consummation of a mar-
riage, nor of translation, but it all evidently relates to a
double movement of a part of the church before the marriage
takes place.

The “going forth” before the slumbering was not a literal
movement from one place to another, but an act of faith,
and the “going out” under the midnight ery was also an act
of faith. Why then should the “going in” be a literal transfer?
We believe (as has been expressed in an article on the sub-
ject) that the virgins are guests by faith, i. e. by being in
the light at a certain stage of development.

Of this more anon, but it must appear evident to many
that going in may have been in process from 1874, if going
out required years for fulfillment. We suggest that the
readiness of the parable consists in the ability, by the Spirit
and the Truth, to receive him, during his presence as the
Bridegroom, before the marriage is due, just as all who be-
lieved Moses and were taught of God were able to receive him
when he was present in the flesh. (Compare Jno. v. 45-47 and
chap. vi. 44-45.)

It is admitted by some that going into the marriage is
not translation, but there is a special reason in their minds
for placing that going in yet in the future, and the coming of
the Bridegroom, also in the future, even though they teach as
do we that the tarrying time ended in 1874. That special
reason is the basis of the new departure we have mentioned.
Since the Autumn of 1878, there has been a very clearly
marked difference of opinion on the subjects of Atonement,
Resurrection and Restitution. While we have not felt disposed
to disfellowship anyone on account of a difference of opinion
on these things, or for any other opinion as long as we are
satisfied of the Christian integrity of brethren, there has been
difference enough to prevent the same hearty co-operation as
formerly, especially as there has been manifested a disposition
to urge these disputed points as test questions. Paul and
Barnabas separated in their work for a reason not half so
important, but Christ was not divided, and we do not read of
either one calling each other hard names or disfellowshiping
each other as Christians. But the effort is now put forth to
create a division before the Bridegroom comes (which is sup-
vosed by them to be future) such as will justify the claim
that we are the “Foolish Virgins” of the parable. Now this
would not hurt our feelings as much as it would some others,
even if it were true, for we believe with some of our brethren
that are seeking to make this new application that the loss of
the “foolish” is temporal and not eternal, or at least, that in
due time they will, when fitted, find an appropriate place in
the kingdom. But we are sorry to see the straining of some
clear applications of Scripture to make this new application.
It is not what we have said, but what it is supposed we will
say that gives even a shadow of a reason for this new appli-
cation. “But here is a division,” say they, “and as there is a
division among the virgins before the Bridegroom comes, this
must be it.’ Wait, brethren, suppose this is the division of
that parable, are you sure you are on the side of the “wise”?
We might imagine as you have concerning us, that you some
time will give up the whole application and confess that your
lamps have gone out. If there were to be no trial, or shaking,
inspection of guests, and casting out of some who did not have
on a “wedding garment,” AFTER the Bridegroom comes, and
the servants were assembled for the wedding (Matt. xxii, 10-
14) there might be a little show of reason for thinking this
division to be the division of that parable; but Jet it be borne
in mind that the midnight cry, the waking up, trimming of
lamps, confession of Jack and seeking for oil, all takes place
before the tarrying time ends. “For while they went to buy the
Bridegroom came,” &c. And it cannot be reasonably claimed
that the tarrying ended before the Bridegroom came.

If that movement from 1859 until 1874, or if you will, to
1878 was the midnight cry movement, then we certainly are
not the foolish virgins of that parable, for we had all the light
the cry gave, and we obeyed it too, as is admitted, but there
is not a ray of evidence that the foolish virgins went out to
meet the bridegroom under the midnight cry. The want of
light prevented them from having any place in that proces-
sion, and so instead of being ready to meet him, their atten-
tion was given in another direction entirely, as is stated in the
parable itself. Was not the light in the 1844 movement in
reference to the Lord’s coming? Does not the analogy of the
movement require that the light, in that part of the move-
ment which ends with the coming of the Bridegroom, should
relate to that coming? It certainly seems so, and that there

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PirtrssurcH, Pa.

should be a change in the kind of light in the middle of the
second movement seems far fetched. lt cannot be claimed that
the second movement ends before the Bridegroom comes.

There were some whose attention was called by the midnight
cry, who on examination could not find such a light in their
Bibles, and yet they wanted to have light on the Lord’s coming.
And while those who could see the light under the midnight
cry, were obeying it in looking for the Bridegroom, they were
away in the mazes of the “Eastern Question,” and in some
cases were expecting a direct voice from Heaven to give them
what we could see in the prophetic periods, viz: the time for
the coming of the Bridegroom. I wonder who among those who
are making this new application, and say they have as much
confidence in it as in any part of the application, will be hon-
orable enough to confess as publicly as the former application
was made that they were mistaken? “We thought that was
light, we thought the Lord led us into it, but we were mis-
taken, and it was all darkness.” Certainly if one position
is light the other must be darkness. Does the Lord lead his
people in opposite directions? Would it not be wise to be less
dogmatic, and less severe with those who cannot see as we do?
We may all safely learn a lesson from this sad affair. Those
who have advanced light can afford to be patient. I hope no
one will infer from what is said above that we think that all
who were interested in the “Eastern Question” are represented
by the Foolish Virgins. Thousands of Christians never heard
the midnight ery, and only those who heard it could either
obey it or disobey it. The “wise” represent those who heard
it and obeyed the cry. The foolish represent those who heard
it and for want of sufficient light could not obey the cry.

No one can read the parable, and draw from it the idea that
the foolish and wise alike hear and obey the cry, and yet this
is what is now claimed by the new application.

This seems to us like drawing largely on the imagination,
and savors of a lawyer making up a bad case. When the mid-
night ery is ended, the light needed in order to obey it has
done its work, and that is all the light the parable says any-
thing about. It is now evident that the going in of the para-
ble is not the end of the Christian journey, for his journey will
not end until he is translated. After the going in, comes the
inspection of the guests, followed by a casting out of one at
least who has not the “wedding garment.” This is a subject
worthy of present consideration, and is receiving attention
by both sides of this supposed division. Some say the wed-
ding garment is a pure theology, i. e——a right theory of God's
plan. We believe that the right theory is not to be despised,
but it is a false theory that teaches that theory alone is needed.
To obey the truth is certainly as necessary as it is to have the
truth. We believe the “wedding garment” is character,—the
highest expression of the greatest effect produced in us by the
faith and love of Christ.

_And we venture the assertion that none who have a deep
spiritual experience will fail to see the difference between his
faith in Christ, and his theory of God’s plan.

The fact that this subject of the wedding garment is now
agitated, and especially since the Spring of 1878, is to us sig-
nificant. We regard it as one of the circumstantial evidences
that it is due here, and that the midnight cry movement is
past as is the cry itself.

The correctness of either theory of what the wedding gar-
ment is, is yet to be tested. Each theory will stand or fall on
its own merits, and should not be confounded with the light
of the parable of the ten virgins that relates exclusively to
the coming of the Bridegroom.

Our theory being right will not prove that we have the
wedding garment, and I am satisfied that some of our brethren
are nearer right than their theory is.

We do not wish any one to think that we are judging those
who accept of some wrong idea of Atonement and Restitution,
as being without the wedding garment. We believe this to be
a time of peculiar trial] of faith,—that we are in a riddle, and
are getting a terrible shaking; and we are fully convinced that
all who HAVE not the wedding garment on will go through the
riddle, no matter how correct their theory about it may be.

We regard the object of a test as partly to prove what we
are, and at the same time to develop strength. A tree that can
stand the storm is made stronger by it, sending its roots deeper
and taking a stronger hold. Oh, that all who being in Christ,
and subjected to this strange (“think it not strange”) trial,
may become “rooted and grounded in love,” avoiding the “works
of the flesh”—“‘flesh spots”——for a description of which see Gal.
v. 19-21—and bearing the “fruits of the Spirit” which are not
a perfect theory, but “love, joy, peace, longsufferings, gentle-
ness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance,” and so ripen
into the character of our Head, and be prepared for the “glory
soon to be revealed”! J. H. P,

[40]

THE WEDDING GARMENT

What qualification is represented by the garment? This
is an important question, and one which is receiving much at-
tention at present from all who have been interested in the
‘Harvest” message, and who believe that in the Spring of 1878,
a point was reached in the history of the Gospel church, paral-
lel to that of the Jewish church at the death of Christ.
Though the faith of some has been severely tried, and some
have perhaps been led to doubt the correctness of the position
referred to above, we believe no good reason can be shown why
the space of time covered by the “Two Dispensations”—Jew-
ish and Gospel, as represented by the Cherubim, did not end
in the Spring of 1878. However much we differ from some of
our brethren in regard to the present position or the light that
was due at the end of the Jewish double, we still believe that
future events will vindicate that the movement based on such
an application of the prophetic periods and parallels was and
is of the Lord. Our faith in the movement is deeper than our
faith in men. Men may stand or fall, papers may or may not
be published,—_-may or may not be a success; men may give Or
withhold their money; still the cause of the Lord will not fail,
the angels will do their work for the heirs of salvation, proph-
ecy will be fulfilled, and “all things shall work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called ac-
cording to his purpose.” Moses was called of God to lead his
people from Egypt, through the wilderness, but Moses fell
within sight of the promised land. The man fell, but the
movement went on. Ganaan was reached and on that line of
march according to the Lord’s arrangement. The reason for
Moses’ fall is most striking. He took the honor to himself, in-
stead of giving God the glory. “Hear now, ye rebels; must
WE fetch you water out of this rock?” (Num. xx. 10.) And the
Lord said: “Because ye believed me not, to sanctify ME in the
eves of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this
congregation into the land.” (Ver. 12.) May the Lord save
all who in any sense are leaders in thought from self conceit,
and a similar fall. “We have this treasure in earthern ves-
sels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not
of us.”——2 Cor. iv. 7

That translation was not due in the Spring of 1878 is cer-
tain, and yet too many were inclined to treat others as not “in
the light” for not expecting it then. Being positive or dog-
matie does not make anything true, even if it does make an
impression. Shall we not learn wisdom by our mistakes? We
felt sure once that the gathering of the wheat into the barn

by the angels, was translation, but now we are convinced that
Omnipotence alone, in his hands who is higher than the angels,
can give immortality, and therefore the angels can only gather
into a condition of readiness for the great change. Some are
just as positive yet that going in to the marriage is trans-
lation, but we are inclined to consider being “in” to the mar-
riage the same as being “in” the barn, and we believe that some
— perhaps a very small number—represented by one without
the wedding garment—will be cast out after being in. The
“going forth” to meet the bridegroom, before the slumbering
was not a movement from one place to another, but an act of
faith, on account of prophetic light. The slumbering was a
lack of the exercise of faith; and the “going out” to meet him
under the midnight cry was also a movement of faith. If the
going out to meet him was of faith, it seems consistent at
least that the going in with him should also be of faith. We
are quite sure that there is no reference whatever to transla-
tion in the parable of the ten virgins. That the expectation
of translation is the proper attitude of those who are gathered
in may be true, but it seems that even the angels are not infinite
in knowledge. Some things “the angels desire to look into.”
(1 Pet. i. 12) And the Lord answered them indefinitely. (Dan.
xii. 7.) I am not sure that the angels are in all respects above
mistake. They are sinless, but there is a great difference be-
tween purity and infallibility in knowledge. God and Christ
ean “discern the thoughts and intents of the heart;” but can
the angels? We think not. And here seems a key: The
angels gather in (let me suggest) those who have the light
in glory, but the Lord causes to be put out into “outer dark-
ness” (even what they have is taken from them) those who
are not right in spirit. The “outer darkness” seems to be the
condition of the world. And the sorrow expressed may be in
consequence of the terrible things coming on the earth, from
which those who are counted worthy escape, while those left
must pass through it, whatever their after condition may be.
It seems that the subject of the wedding garment is that which
is receiving special attention, and the inquiry as to what it
is, 1s doubtless a legitimate one, and we have not the least
doubt that the Word of God is able to give us all needed light
on the subject. We believe that this is not so much a doctrinal
as a practical test, and also that a sifting owt rather than a
gathering in is accomplished by it.

We think it probable that this should receive special at-
tention. Oh, that we may stand the test. J. H. P.

THE TWO ADAMS*

“The first man, Adam, was made a living soul: the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”—1 Cor. rr. 43
* [See Volume V, Scripture Studies, which corrects errors containedin Mr, Paton’s teachings.]

There is a similarity and yet a contrast between Adam and
Christ. Both are first and therefore Head of a race, but the
first man is the Head of an earthly race of beings, while
the second man, Christ—‘“the Lord from heaven” (ver. 47)
is the Head of a heavenly race. Natural and spiritual, give
the contrast between the two Heads; as of the Heads so of the
descendants,—each Father imparting his own nature to his
children: “As is the earthy, such are they also that are
earthy: and as is the heavenly such are they also that are
heavenly.” (Ver. 48) One important element of our hope is
a change from the first family to the second, from the lower
to the higher, from the natural to the spiritual: “And as we
have borne the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image
of the heavenly.” (Ver. 49) “Whom he did foreknow he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,”
(Rom. viii. 29) “Who is the image of the invisible God.”
—Col. i. 15.

“We shall not all sleep. but we shall all be changed.” (1
Cor. xv. 51) ‘Who shall change our vile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto his glorious body.” Phil. iii. 21. “It doth
not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he
shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as
he is.”—1 John iii. 2.

The contrast between the two conditions is very great and
clearly marked.

Of the first, the following terms are characteristic: “cor-
ruption,” “dishonor,” “weakness,” “natural body,” “living
soul,” “earthy,” and “flesh and blood,” on account of all which
the first Adam and his children “cannot inherit the kingdom
of God.”—1 Cor. xv. 50.

Of the second Adam and his family, the opposite terms are
characteristic: “incorruption,” “glory.” “power,” “spiritual
body,” “spirit,” “from heaven,” and “heavenly,” on account
of all which they are the rightful heirs of the kingdom of God.

The change from the first to the second condition, or en-
trance into the higher life, is in the Bible called a birth, as

[41]

the entrance into the natural life is also called a birth. Hence
the significance of the statements of Christ: ‘Ye must be born
again,” and “Except a man be born of water and the spirit he
cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John iii. 3-7) The first
Adam is termed flesh—(human nature), and as the stream
cannot rise higher than its source, “That which is born of the
flesh is flesh ;” and as the stream can rise as high as the source.
“That which is born of the spirit is spirit.” (Ver. 6) This
entrance or birth into the spiritual life in the case of these
who are in Hades—the state of the dead—is at the resurrec-
tion. Those however, who are prepared for it, who are “alive
and remain,” (left over,” Em. Diag.) shall have a correspond-
ing change, for “we shall not all sleep but we shall all be
changed.” (Comp. 1 Thess. iv. 13-18 and 1 Cor. xv. 51-54.)
A mere resurrection, or living again, is not the birth-—as a?!
who die will live again, “both the just and the unjust.” while
only those who have Christ formed in them, or are possessed
of the spirit of Christ, have any promise of a share in the
higher life of the second Adam. Those who have the divine
nature will have the divine form or image; (as nature makes
form) but while it is true that a mere resurrection is not the
birth, God has arranged for Christ and the dead in Christ
that the change shall take place at and by the resurrection.
“So also is the resurrection of the dead.” (1 Cor. xv. 42)
Notice! It reads “of the dead,” and not “from the dead."
though it is speaking of Christians, as the context shows, and
vet that resurrection makes them immortal. Paul. or the
Spirit by him. anticipates ancient and modern investigations -
“But some will say, How are the dead raised up. and with
what bodv do they come?” (Ver. 35.) If. as some assume,
“the dead” means the wicked, then Paul’s answer teaches
Universalism. We would not regret this if the Holy Snirit
in Paul teaches it; but if as again assumed. when “the dead”
are raised they are dead still, then the holy Spirit in Paul con-
tradicts himself, which is an absurdity, and therefore one or
both of the assumptions referred to must be untrue. The bring-

(5-6)

(6-7)

ing to life again of any one, good or bad, is called raising the
dcud. and the fact is called resurrection of the dead, “How
are the dead raised up?’ and “So is the resurrection of the
dead” certainly refer to the saints, as Paul’s answer to the
above question shows: ‘Thou fool, that which thou sow-
est thou sowest not that body which shall be.” (Ver. 36-37)
(Then follow the illustrations of the grain, birds, fishes
and stars, and then a direct answer to the question.) “So
also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in cor-
1uption; it is raised in incorruption; (not raised corruptible
nud changed afterward,) it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in
elory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power; it is
~own a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.” This is
us strong language as could be used in proof of the position
we take, that the entrance of the sleeping saints upon_the
nieher life is at and by the resurrection. We talk just as Paul
does. Paul in his defense said he taught that there would
he “a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust.”
‘Acts xxiv. 15) And again “Of the hope and resurrection of
the dead J am called in question.” (xxiii. 6) Paul preached
throuch Jesus the resurrection of the dead. “Why should it
he thought ineredible with you that God should raise the dead?”
(Aets xxvi. 8) Paul witnessed that Christ should be “the first
that should rise from the dead.” (Ver. 23) And this is the
assurance unto all men: (Chap. xvii. 31) “And when they
heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked.”—Ver. 32.

“From the dead” and “of the dead” are used almost inter-
changeably. He raises the dead [ones] from the dead
{state}. When Lazarus was brought back to life he was
[raised] “from the dead.” (Jno. xii. 1) There is no reference
lcre to immortality, but simply the fact that the dead Laz-
arus was restored to life.

The Bible clearly teaches the resurrection of all from
death, but whether the life gained is natural or spiritual, de-
pends upon the relation of the individual to Christ. In the
sactificial “offering of the body of Jesus Christ (Heb. x. 10)
he was related to all, “tasted death for every man.” (Heb. ii.
9), “gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. ii. 6) and there-
fore will deliver all from the death of which they were afraid
while they lived. (Heb. ii. 15) But we should be careful not
to confound Christ’s sacrificial and redemptive work with
his work as the second Adam,—a “quickening spirit.” Adam waz
a figure or type of Christ, but he was not the only type, but
even if he were, Adam was lord of all creation as well as the
first and lifegiver of the natural race. So Christ is more than
head of the spiritual race, he is “Lord of all,” of heaven and
earth. angels and men, dead and living.

Christ is the antitype of a multitude of types besides Adam,
and many point to his sacrificial and redemptive work while
Adam does not. He, the Lord Jesus Christ, must fulfill them
all. snd if this be remembered there can be no difficulty in
harmonizing the fact that Christ will destroy the devil, and
deliver the captives from the prison of death.

Christ. at his resurrection, entered on the higher life and
work of the second Adam, as the life-giving spirit. He is the
“First-Lorn from the dead.” Col. i. 18. When we enter the
same condition, that is our new birth but the basis for that

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PITrsBURGH, Pa.

change or entrance into the higher life must be laid in the
present life by the begetting of the spirit,—conversion.

There are seven spirits of God, but the “Spirit of God,”
which is the “Spirit of Christ” [the anointed ones] must dwell
in us, in order that our mortal bodies may be quickened. Rom.
viii. 11. “There is now no condemnation to them that are in
Christ Jesus; who walk not after the flesh [the old man] but
after the spirit [the new man.]” (Ver. 1) “To be spiritually
minded is life and peace.” “They that are in the flesh can not
please God. But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if
so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man
have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.”

The terms “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of Christ” are thus
used interchangeably, and the possession of it proves that the
new work is begun in us;— begotten of the spirit.

Christ in us, the hope of glory, the body dead because of
sin, and the spirit life because of righteousness [ver. 9-10] is
certainly a high state of Christian life.

The divine nature possessed moves, controls and quickens
the mortal body here, and the work begun will be carried on
by the same power, until these vile bodies are changed to im-
mortality. It seems as if no one who will carefully read the
eighth of Romans would for a moment confound the indwell-
ing spirit of Christ with the mere exercise of power in restor-
ing natural life to be changed afterward; or ignore the fact
that the subject of the apostle is the power, process, and final
completion of the new creation, eich is the work of Christ
as the second Adam; and that in this passage there is not a
hint of bringing back into mortality and changing afterward.

The two Adams are related to each other as natural and
spiritual. The first was all natural, and imparts the same,
the antitype is spiritual. First the natural and afterward the
spiritual shuts out the idea that the first had any element of
the spiritual, or what could have developed into it. God’s
plan of giving the spiritual is by the second Adam. I do not
say that Adam did not have a spirit: “There is a spirit in
man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him under-
standing.” But it was a human spirit,—the spirit of a natural
man. To say that it was an immortal spirit, or that it could
have developed into immortality without the second Adam, is
to say what the Bible does not say, and is therefore pure as-
sumption.

All that God gave Adam was lost under the curse: “Dying
thou shalt die.” This was not an instantaneous work, but a
process as the words imply, and during that process he pro-
duced a race of men like himself—under the sentence of
death.

In Rom. v., Paul declares that the Atonement by Christ’s
death is what secures man’s recovery from that condemnation.
“Reconciled to God by the death of his Son;” and in Heh. ii.
declares that he took the nature of man, for that very purpose.
So Christ’s work is assuredly double. By the sacrifice he re-
deems the natural, and as the second Adam, he gives what
man never had before—spiritual and immortal life. Let me
have an interest in the second Adam, by being partaker of his
spirit. and “T shall behold thy face in righteousness. J shall be
satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.” J. H. P.

ATONEMENT—RESURRECTION

“We lore him heecause he first loved us."—1 John ww. 19.

An appreciation of God’s love to us “while we were yet
sinners,” must be an important cause—not only of turning
men to God. but also of keeping our hearts in the way of
sinhteousness. His love was first ;—not created, nor purchased,
but original, self-moved and inexhaustible. Jt can be known
only by its fruits. Christ and his work in all its parts are the
fruit of the Father’s love. To know God, we must know
(lirist, for “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto him-
celf.? We may not know the philosophy of the incarnation,
but we mayv know the fact. “Hidden things belong to the
Lord, but things that are revealed belong to us,” &c. An im-
verfect idea of the fruit of God’s love must cause an imperfect
idea of the love itself, and the effect produced on our hearts
and lives must correspond. We feel drawn to defend the Word
“f the Lord for the purpose of increasing our love to him, and
“oO perfecting holiness in the fear (reverence) of the Lord.

One of the prominent features of God’s plan by which his
love is manifested is Christ?s death. Perhaps no over feature
has been opposed as much as the idea that the death of Christ
shonld have anything to do with man’s salvation; and much
effort has been made bv some to explain it away or so modify
the teachings of the Bible on this subject as to make it palat-
ahle to the natural mind. The bold and reckless spirit that
declares by word or action that we will believe nothing unless

it accords with our reason, may be characteristic of the age in
which we live, but it does not savor of the meek and quiet
spirit that trembles at the Word of the Lord. We do not op-
pose the searching and comparing of the Scriptures to ascer-
tain what they teach. That is really the disciple’s work. And
it is right also to bring all theories to the test of God’s Word,
—to “prove all things (by that standard) and hold fast that
which is good.” And in all this we shall find room for the
exercise of the faculty of reason; but if in our searching we
fivd a fact stated, the philosophy of which we cannot see, it
is hardly becoming in a Christian to ignore or belittle the fact.
We may fail of seeing for two reasons, either because God has
withheld his reason, or because we are still ignorant of some
other revealed fact which in due time will make it plain. Bet-
ter if need be to say “I do not understand,” than to deny the
facts.

No careful student of the Bible can fail to be impressed
with the stress that is laid on the death of Christ. That some
may have overlooked other truths, and so laid too much stress
on the death, we will not denv. but that is no excuse for our
belittling the death. by overexalting other features. A morbid
desire for something new and peculiar should be checked by a
eareful reading of the context, before using a verse or a small
part of it in proof of a new theory.

[43]

OctosrEr, 1879

“When we were yet without strength in due time Christ
died for the ungodly. Scarcely for a righteous man will one
die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare
to die. But God commendeth his love toward us in that while
we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (Rom. v. 6-8) How
can Christ’s death show or commend God’s love to us, unless
that death meets a necessity in the sinner’s case?

To do for us what we could or must do for ourselves would
not be an expression of benevolence. ‘To say that he died to
meet our necessity would be a strange thing indeed, if it were
only his life that could help us. But verse 10 shows us the
value of both the death and the life, and should forever pre-
vent us from confounding the two or ignoring either one. “s’ec-
onciled (atoned) to God by the death of his Son, . . saved
by his life.” That there is an atonement by the death of Christ
the above passage clearly teaches, and it is so translated in
verse 11. And even if the salvation by his life is elsewhere
called reconciliation, or if there should be discovered a dozen
other reconciliations, still it remains true that we are “rec-
onciled to God by the death of his Son,” and it is an expres-
sion of God’s great love for the world of sinners.

That this atonement by the death of Christ has no reference
to the breaking down of the middle wall between the Jew and
Gentile, is clear, because the apostle goes on to explain, and
shows as plain as words could make it, that the atonement se-
cures to mankind what was lost through Adam.

“Wherefore” in 12th verse relates back to the atonement
of verse 11, and it is stated that as by one man all men were
condemned to death, so by the atonement all men are justified
to life. To overlook this is to ignore the “Wherefore” and
“Therefore” of the Apostle, verses 12-18.

We do not overlook the fact or value of Christ’s obedience
any more than we overlook Adam’s sin. Sin brought death
and righteousness brings life. But that the death of Christ,
the righteous one, was a necessity is the idea for which we
here plead. Now if any one can read carefully the whole pas-
sage and not see that Christ’s death secures to man the re-
covery from death, it will prove that the human mind is
greatly biased, by its own determinations.

It is not an isolated text, however, that teaches the re-
covery from death by the death of Christ.

Atonement is the basis of Resurrection. The apostle has
shown us that Christ’s death is the atoning act. We shall
therefore expect to find the death of Christ associated with
man’s recovery from death.

We are not forgetting the resurrection of Christ, nor over-
looking its value as the entrance of the Head into endless life,
and therefore as the key of immortality for mankind; but we
are seeking to give his death its place as the price of redemp-
tion or recovery. Certainly man’s recovery from death is one
thing, and the gift of immortality is another, and they should
be so considered though they are intimately related to each
other. The former is the basis of the latter, and the latter is
the object for which the former is accomplished. Hence it is
said, “Reconciled by his death, saved by his life.”

‘He died for our sins.” It is not said that he rose for
our sins. He is the Lamb that taketh away the sin of the
world. The world’s sin is Adam’s sin. “In whom all have
sinned.” (Rom. v. 12 marg.) “He bore our sins in his own
body on the tree.’ ‘He became a curse for us.” “Wounded
for our transgressions.” “By his stripes we are healed.”
“Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospe!—not
with wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ should be made
of none effect.” (1 Cor. i. 17) If Christ’s death in itself does
nothing. then it iseof no effect. The cross must refer to the
death and not to the after life.

“The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolish-
ness, but to us that are saved it is the power of God.” (v. 18)

“The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wis-
dom, but we preach Christ crucified.”—Ver. 22-23.

“I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus
Christ, and him crucified.” (Ch. ii. 2) From what he said in
the first chapter, we know Paul made a specialty of the death
in his preaching. The cross is the basis of all the glory. He
laid down his life for his sheep. “No man taketh it from me.
T lay it down of myself.” To Pilate he said. ’Thou couldest
have no power at all were it not given thee from above.”

After the hour for the Passover (he being the Antitype.
and it must be fulfilled on time) he no longer sought to pro-
tect. himself, nor allowed others to protect him, but gave him-
self into their hands. His hour had come; then and not till

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(7-8)

then “they killed the Prince of life.” “He gave hi» life a
vansom for many,’—"A Ransom for all, to be testified im due
time.” Hence, being redeemed, “bought with a price,” we are
not our own.

The most desperate shift to avoid the force of all the seip
tures which speak of Christ’s shedding his blood as a ransoni,
is that which says the life he gave to redeem us was his pre-
existent life,—that he died twice, once when the Word wa-
made flesh, and then his death on the cross. It hardly secins
possible that any could believe that the incarnation was by
death. It is, to say the least, a hypothesis without any seriy-
tural support, and a little Scripture is worth more than a goud
deal of reasoning. We might as well call translation death.
but “Enoch was translated that he should not see death.”

But Paul shows us that instead of taking the body being
the es the body was prepared to be a sucrifice.—Hel.
x. d-12,

The preexistent Word is not presented in the character o!
a Lamb. The offerings under the law foreshadowed not the
coming in the flesh, but the death of the flesh, “the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.” (Ver. 10.) The
same thought as: “Who gave himself a ransom for all.” “He
died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (the types and
shadows) and rose again the third day” (from the time he
died, and not thirty-three years after he died).

That Christ died in the same sense in which men die, anid
in which men are counted dead before they die, must be truce
or there would be no relation between his death and their-.
Here again the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thu:
judge that if one died for all then were all dead (not all
actually dead, but counted dead,) “death [sentence] passed
on all.” His death was of the same kind, met the claim as a
Ransom, so that all are his, and counted alive, for the object
as stated, “that he died for all that they who live, should no
longer live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them
and rose again.”

The idea is here suggested that he gained the right to con-
trol all for whom he died. This work of redeeming by death.
is not to be confounded with the work of the second Adan.
which is to impart spiritual] life. Christ did not become the
second Adam until he was made a “quickening spirit.” That
our Lord Jesus is the antitype of Adam as Head of a new
race is true, but he is more than that. Adam, besides being
head of a race, was lord of all creation. So too Jesus died and
rose again that he might be Lord both of the dead and the liv-
ing. (Rom. xiv. 9) So too, the uttermost parts of the earth
are to be his possession. Ps. 2.

Lord does not mean Head in the sense of Father alone.
but refers to the fact of his having power to control. ‘All
power is given unto me both in heaven and earth.” Angel-
and men, the dead and living alike, are his to command.

So Paul tells us Christ descended in Hades, and then as-
eat leading “captivity captive,” took the power in his own

and.

That this is not a baseless assumption is shown in Heb. ii.
There we learn that the very purpose for which Christ took
our nature was, that “by the grace of God he might taste death
for every man.” “That through death he might destroy him
that had the power of death—i. e. the Devil, and deliver them
vho through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to
bondage.” He binds the strong man, the prison keeper, and
delivers the captives. He delivers them from the death of
which they were afraid during their lifetime. They never had
a spiritual lifetime, and never dreaded spiritual death. Chrio
took the natural that he might redeem the natural. and po-
sesses the spiritual that he mav impart the spiritual. is the
evident teaching of the Bible. The same thought of his haviue
power over the dead is brought to view in Rev. i. 18. “I am
he that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive forever-
more: Amen; and have the keys of Hades and of death.”

That the terms death and life are used figuratively some
times we freely admit. and the context will determine it. but
when speakiny of the penalty of sin and resurrection from it
the death of Christ must serve as the key. Thus as well as
otherwise we can glorv in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Brethren let us beware of anvthinge that belittles, or sets
aside the death of Christ. as the offering and propitiation for
sin. not ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. The
simplicity. nature. object and extent of this ransom will be
testified—made known in due time. J. H. P.

[43]

CORRESPONDENTS’ QUESTIONS

Answers by the Editor

We have many more questions than we have space to an-
swer at once—have patience.

QUES. Do you think all willful rejectors who do not now,
accept of Jesus as their Saviour. though having the oportunity
of hearing the Gospel preached, will have a chance to gain
eternal life in the “ages to come?”

ANs. Our humanity has become so depraved that many
cannot hear the Gospel, or see its beauty. Their eyes are
blinded by sin and their ears are dull of hearing—‘“He that
hath an ear to hear, let him hear.”

Then, too, even those who can hear and see some little,
hear such confused sounds, all called Gospel—good news (some
of it terribly bad news) that we cannot wonder if they stray.
Unless they follow the Shepherd closely, they are sure to lose
their way. ‘The only ones who have no hope in the future are
such as have come to a “knowledge of the truth” (not error)
and have “tasted of the good word of God (not a bad word
said to be God’s word) and been made partakers of the Holy
Ghost.” (Heb. vi. 4 and x. 26) With but few professing Chris-
tians is the case such, and only such commit the unpardon-
able sin. They become open apostates, (are not merely ‘‘over-
taken in a fault.”) Such do despite to the “Spirit of Grace,”
and by their act or word ‘‘count the blood of the covenant
wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing.” For such
there is no hope. This sin “shall never be forgiven, neither
in this world, [age] neither in the world fage] to come,”
(Matt. xii, 32) “I do not say that ye should pray for it,” 1
Jno., v. 16. “Christ died for our sins” once “but he dieth no
more.” Those who do not accept when once they have a full
opportunity, die the second death, from which we are told of
no recovery—no ransom.

Q. You say, “We do not preach a second chance.” If
many who now have the Bible, etc., have a chance in the fu-
ture. is it not a second chance?

A. We think that few have a full chance now. If they
have and reject they crucify the Son of God afresh &e., and
are without hope. The chance of the present time— Gospel dis-
pensation—is to become a part of the Bride company, “joint
heirs with Jesus” and members of the God family. The chance
or opportunity for this high calling closes when the Bride is
complete. (Probally very soon.) In the future men will have
a oehaneer ta beeawe pervect men, in harmony with God—rec-
onciled—-but still MEN: perfect natural bodies but not spirtt-
val beine~. Can this then be called a second chance, since
the offers are entirely different?

©, Do vou believe in a monster personal devil? I do not.

A. There are many who argue that the word devil is
always used as a synonym of evil and is merely the personify-
ing of a principle. The many scriptures which speak of him
asa person, they explain away to their own satisfaction. Their
mincipal objection to believing in a personal devil, is that they
think it a slur on God’s character to suppose that he per-
mitted such a being to interrupt his plans and bring sin among
his ereatuies. This reason for wishing to figure away a per-
~onal devil vanishes if our views of “Why Evil was Permitted”
(Anu, No.) be received as correct. God is justified in per-
miitting -.77 or devil. if He so arranges that it finally results
in the creature’s good.

That the word devil is sometimes used to personify evil
tiinelle. «nd evil governments, none can gainsay. (The
Rein Pinpire is ealled the dragon and the devil. Rev. xii.
3. 0. and \iii, 2. also xx. 2.) But the same argument which
wold permit the word devil to be always interpreted as a
principle, and not a person, could be used with equal force to
prove that there is no personal God, and that when the word
Ged is used the principle of good is personified. I do not be-
lieve the devil immortal, however. God never gave any being
4 life whieh He (God) could not take away when the end of

Since the Turkish authorities removed ten years ago the
restriction~ which limited the Jewish population in Jerusa-
rem, the Jews bave bought up all the land they could in the
eneient citv and have built ‘outside the walls in some cases
entire strects of houses. Synagogues and Jewish hospitals have
inultiplicd and the German Jews have no fewer than sixteen
charity associations, and twenty-eight congregations religious
Two newspapers have heen started. In the Roth-
-etild ard other hospitals. 6,000 patients are cared for annually.
Baron Roth-child holds a mortgage on the whole of Palestine
y- security for his Joan of 200,000,000 franes to the Turkish
yvovernment, It is said that the value of the land at the gates
©* the city has inerensed more than ten-fold, while building

}
Pyfert ees,

its being and usefulness had been attained. God only has
that life which never had a beginning and can never end. 1
Tim. vi. 16. Ultimately God will have a clean universe. No
more death and consequently no more sin to require that
penalty. “For this purpose Christ was manifest, that He
might destroy death and him that has the power of death,
that is, the devil.”—Heb. ii. 14.

Q. Do you think that 2 Pet. ii. 1. refers to some teachers
of our day who deny that Jesus bought our right to life by
taking our place in death, as our substitute? It reads: “There
shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in
damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them.”
Ig there anything in the Greek which would properly trans-
pose this so as to make it read—denying that the Lord bought
them. If there is, it seems to me that this text would apply
very aptly to some teachers of our day.

A. I find that the words “that bought” in this text are
from the Greek word—ugorazo, which word is properly trans-
lated “having bought.” This is the word for word translation
of this in the “Emphatic Diaglott.” So corrected the text
would read—“Even denying the Lord having bought them.”
There is certainly similarity enough to justify the question.
“Many shall follow their pernicious ways by, reason of whom
the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”

Q. (Continued.) If it will bear this rendering, do you
think—-denying that the Lord bought them—would be a paral-
lel to or the equivalent of “counting the blood of the covenant
wherewith they were sanctified an unholy (or unvaluable)
thing,” [Heb. 10, 29], which Paul describes as a part of the
unpardonable sin?

A. Far be it from us to judge of the hearts of our fel-
lows: God only knoweth the heart. We each should judge our
own hearts, however, and very carefully. Do I deny the pur-
chase value of the blood of Christ, as my ransom and the ran-
som of the world from death? Am J still wnder “the blood of
sprinkling, which speaketh better things than the blood of
Abel”? [It speaks pardon and life.]

I once counted myself as justified from all things by the
blood of Christ (the covenant) as sealed, marked, sprinkled
by that blood. Shall I give up the sealing of the blood and
the justifying by the blood, and take instead somebody’s
theory? Will the first-born be passed over unless the blood of
Christ, our passover, is sprinkled on the lintels and door posts
of our hearts? Is the blood an unvaluable thing? No. Jesus
took upon him the likeness of sinful flesh, and the weaknesses
of sinful flesh; therefore, “The flesh profited nothing.” All the
power expressed through his fleshly body was power of “the
Father,” as he claims. But his life was unsullied, He knew
no sin, and death had no dominion over him. Therefore, Jesus
had something to offer viz: a pure, unspotted life. He gave tt
for the flesh life of the world which was forfeited. His leaving
the heavenly courts was not the sacrifice which put away sin,
but as Paul says (Heb. ix. 26) “He appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Since he appeared to make
the sacrifice, the sacrifice for sin must be made after he had
appeared and was not the act of appearing,

Yes, friends, count as a very valuable and holy thing, the
blood (life) of the covenant, wherewith ye were sanctified As
to the sin which hath never forgiveness, let each of us be
careful that we do not commit it. I have long believed that
only the little company far advanced in truth could commit it.

An apparent approach to such a position would come in
the denying that “he bore our sins in his own body on the
tree.” After having once proclaimed to the world that i¢ was
all powerful and justified, to turn about and say—No, he
bore nobody’s sins there, would, before the world be denying
the crucified one, and saying, “He saved others, himself he
cannot save.” He was obliged to die on his own account.

and construction work of all kinds is carried on night and
day. It is further reported that the immigrants, who to a
large extent are from Russia, “are animated by a religious en-
thusiasm of a very pronounced type.”

The spread of skepticism in Germany has had the effect of
diminishing the number of aspirants to the Protestant clerical
profession in that empire. In Upper Hesse, for instance, out
of 196 places for Protestant clerical aspirants, 36 are vacant;
in Rhenish Hesse, out of 88 places 12 are vacant, and in the
province of Starkenberg, out of 112 places 12 are vacant.
There are 33 out of 93 curacies vacant, and it is impossible
to find candidates for them. In the University of Giessen there
are at present only seven divinity students.

ges [44]

Vou. I

PITTSBURGH, PA., NOVEMBER, 1879

No. 5

BABYLON

“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen and is become the
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and
a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”—Rev. xvill. 2.

The word “Babylon” means confusion. It is here used
symbolically, since the literal city by that name was at the
time of this writing “a mass of ruins.” The literal city was
doubtless a figure or type of the symbolic city, and much of
the threatening of Isa. xxi, and Jer. 1, and li, is unquestion-
ably of two-fold application and fulfillment: first, upon lit-
eral Babylon, the type and more fully upon symbolic Babylon,
the antitype. Both are called “Babylon the Great.” “Both
rule over the kings of the earth. The literal was built upon
the river Euphrates and derived wealth and splendor from
this source. “O thou that dwellest upon many waters” Jer.
Li. 13. The symbolic is said to be “seated upon many waters
—peoples, nations,” &c., from which it derives its support.

The fall of the literal was by the turning aside of the
waters, and the drying up of the Euphrates. And the sym-
bolic river Euphrates is said, in connection with the fall of
symbolic Babylon, to be “dried up.”—-Rev. xvi. 12.

Each is compared to a stone cast into the water. “Thus
shall Babylon sink and shall not rise.” Jer. li. 64. “Thus
with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down.”—
Rev. xvill. 21.

Now let us inquire what is represented by the symbol.
As originally planted by Jesus and his apostles the church
was a “chaste virgin espoused to one husband, even Christ.”
For some time she maintained her purity and suffered per-
secution of the world, but gradually became enamored of the
world and the prospects it offered, and finally united with it,
constituting the system of Papacy. This system church, liv-
ing in union with the world constitutes “the abomination”’—
“the harlot.” and the name Babylon, meaning confuston, is
applicable because the world is called a beast and the church
a woman. This then was the union of the woman and the
beast which is expressly forbidden in type. (Lev. xviii. 23. “It
is confusion.”) We feel sure that we have the name
Babylon properly applied since in Rev. xvii. we see the
church seated on the beast—1i. e. supported by and controlling
the world. “And in her forehead was a name written, Mys-
tery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abomina-
tions of the earth.”—Rev. xvii. 5.

The following verse shows that in her apostate condition
she was Anti—(against) Christ; for she was drunken with
the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Jesus. Mark
me—I do not say that all the members of the Catholic church
became abominations to the Lord, but that the Papacy as a
SYSTEM—church-state organization is here pictured. And
we must go further and implicate, (not the individual mem-
bers, but the church systems) other churches united to the
Empires of earth. Every church claiming to be a chaste
virgin espoused to Christ, but in reality united to and sup-
ported by the world (beast) we must condemn as being in
scripture language a harlot church. To illustrate: The Epis-
copal is the established church of England—the Greek church,
of Russia—the Presbyterian church, of Scotland—the Luth-
eran, of Norway, &c. The true church, composed of all who
love the Lord Jesus in truth and sincerity whether in or out
of these organizations, who wait for the coming Bridegroom,
he recognizes; but she that is joined to another he calls an
abomination—a harlot.

The nominal church still bears the name of Christ and
claims to be his. She claims to be desirous of knowing and
doing what would please the Lord, but actually studies and
does what will please the world. She has a form of Godli-
ness but really is far from God-like-ness. Who studies as care-
fully, or obeys more implicitly the world’s dictates as to pro-
priety of dress and etiquette than professors of Christianity?
Everything is done with an eye to the world’s approval. The
sermon must be such as will please and entertain carnally
minded men of the world, for they give tone and character
and backing to the organization. These must be trustees and
stewards and be made to feel an interest in her and give
largely of their wealth. No matter how obtained, wealth she
wants and wealth she must have. She has commenced the
adaptation of herself to the ideas of the world, and cannot go
back. She felt that she must erect a grand church building
with the tallest spire, and that every inch she added to the
spire and every dollar added to the cost of building would
help draw to her bosom some of the world’s children with

[45]

IS FALLEN

bags of gold. She lives luxuriously with the world, and is
supported by the world. Her homage to the world becomes
almost a necessity when it is remembered that he really
built the temple of fashion in which she professes to worship
God, but really bows to mammon. The world, though caressing
and flattering, wants the interest on the church mortgage,
and if the church cannot think of a way to get it scripturally,
he has plans for festivals, grab games and church theatricals.
She hesitates for a moment only, to thus disgrace and prosti-
tute herself. The money must be raised. It would be use-
less to ask the Lord for it, since she disregarded his wishes
by contracting the debt. Necessity knows no law, and though
the pure ones rich in faith, protest and weep for her con-
dition, yet they are the poor of this world, and the poor of
the worldly church seldom occupy a church office of any in-
fluence, and their protests and entreaties are drowned by the
exultant songs and shouts of the gay company who “glory
in their shame.” Enjoying the world’s love, they exclaim:
“We are rich and increased with goods and have need of
nothing, knowing not that they are wretched and miserable
and poor and blind and naked.’’—Rev. iii. 17.

“O that thou hadst known even in this thy day, the things
which belong to thy peace! but now they are hid from thine
eyes.”

Yes we believe the nominal church of today to be the
Babylon of our text, which falls. It commenced to be a con-
dition of confusion with the mother and it continues to the
end of the age. The church, anxious for numbers and money,
has offered every inducement to get members, particularly
those of wealth. Socials are arranged at which the wives and
daughters are expected (even though followers of Jesus) to
so dress and act as to decoy and captivate worldly and car-
nally minded men. Soon such a one is called brother and
urged to join the church. At first he feels shocked at being
asked to become a church member. He has heard of people
being converted, having a change of heart, &c., but soon settles
down to the thought that he is as good as others, that mor-
ality is the needed thing, and finding it to be a passport to
the best society and an aid to business he does not long re-
fuse. Now he is a member of church in good and regular
standing; perhaps begins to like and feel interested in church
affairs; becomes an officer in the Sunday school. Now he is
looked upon as one of the principal members, a bell sheep,
a representative of the flower of the flock. Who shall meas-
ure the baneful influence of this wolf in sheep’s clothing
upon the true sheep and lambs, supplanting truths with er-
rors, ignoring true faith and trust and fostering and encour-
aging pride and worldliness, to say nothing of the effects
upon the world when, it may be after having been years with
the flock, this influential member is discovered to be a thief,
who for years has systematically stolen from his employers,
who had the utmost confidence in him because of his church
connections? So the whole flock becomes suspected of being
hypocrites, until now very few business men consider it any
recommendation to an employee, to know that he is a
christian. Nor should this be wondered at when we reflect
that if any large defalcation or financial irregularity occurs
you will find yourself as well as the infidel inquiring—Of
what church is he a prominent member?

In this way the church—“Babylon”—has “become the hab-
itation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage
of every unclean and hateful bird,” as shown in our text.

Jesus prophesied of this in parable when he said—“The
kingdom of heaven [church] is like to a grain of mustard
seed which a man took and sowed in his field, which, when
grown, is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree, so
that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches
thereof.” Matt. xiii. 31. Verses 4 and 19 show us that the
birds represent the devil. The church had a small beginning
but afterwards spread out into many branches, and the rep-
resentatives of the devil—hypocrites—wolves in sheep’s cloth-
ing—came and lodged among the branches. But our text
says: “Babylon is fallen.” What is the fall and when will
it occur? The fall we believe will be from her exalted posi-
tion of control and respect with the world. to one of ignominy
and contempt. The fall we expect will not be instantaneous;
it will have a beginning and will gather momentum as it
falls until it is dashed to pieces. As to when her fall is due,
we can perhaps learn something by examining the parallels be-
tween the Jewish and the Gospel church. As has been shown
heretofore, the Law was a shadow of the Gospel, and the Jew-

(1-2)

(2-3)

ish church under the Law, a pattern of the christian church
under the Gospel; the one on the fleshly, the other on the
spiritual plane, each called Israel.

We know how their age ended with the advent of Christ
in the flesh. So he is to be present in the end of ‘this age, a
spiritual body. We know that he called the end of that age
a “harvest” to the fleshly house and that he also says: “The
harvest is the end of this world” (age). You will recollect
that their age from the death of Jacob (Israel) to Christ’s
baptism—the beginning of their harvest—-was 184114 years,
and that the parallels show that the harvest of this age and
Christ’s presence (a spiritual body) was due to commence
in the fall of 1874, or 1841% years, from the spring of 33.

As at the end of his three-and-one-half years’ ministry,
Jesus wept over that church, gave them up and said: “Your
house is left unto you desolate,” so we believe that at the
parallel point of time—the spring of 1878, the nominal gos-
pel church was given up and their house left desolate. Until
the harvest of their age, all outward Jews—“wheat and chaff”
were spoken to and of as Israel but Jesus did a separating
work—‘“His fan is in his hand” to winnow the chaff from
among the wheat and when the work of separation is accom-
plished the wheat only is recognized. So here true and false
grow side by side in the church and together they are nom-
inally “The kingdom of Heaven’-—“Let both grow together
until the harvest”; but in the harvest of this age, “He will
gather out of his kingdom all things that offend,” &c. Matt.
xiii, 30, 41. But since the spring of 1878 we believe that the
nominal church is cast off and now only the wheat—‘‘the
little fiock’’—is to be considered the church; and we believe
this to be the date of the beginning of the fall of Babylon
church, the parallel to the date of the fall of the church of
the Scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites ,who “encompassed sea
and land to make one proselyte.” Their fall was gradual, so
is Babylon’s.

This rejection of the nominal—Babylon church—by the
Lord seems to be illustrated in the picture of the church in
its seven stages. Rev. iii. 16. The seventh or last, boasting
of her being rich, increased in goods, &c., is pronounced by
the Lord poor, naked, miserable, wretched and blind, and is
spewed from his mouth. Once she was the mouth-piece of
God; he spoke and taught through her, but now she is spewed
out. “Babylon is fallen.” Who cannot recognize that Baby-
lon is now falling in the esteem of the world, which points
to its children as more honorable, honest and faithful than
the many Pastors and great ones in the church, of whose fall
into great sins we hear almost daily.

BRO. G. W.

Death has laid our brother low. He died at his home,
Edinboro, Pa., Oct. 9th, 1879. Though an event not entirely
unexpected, since he has heen seriously ill for some time,
yet his death is a heavy blow to his many friends abroad as
well as at home. He was beloved and esteemed by his fellow
townsmen of all denominations as well as by the congregation
of which he was pastor. He had been a faithful undershep-
herd, ever holding before his hearers, as the great incentive
to holiness and purity of life, that which filled his own soul
with joy and peace and helped him to live “above the world”
—viz: The appearing of the Heavenly Bridegroom—The
King of Glory, and our gathering together unto him. Our
brother was a man of marked ability, and surrendered bright
prospects of worldly and political honors to be permitted to
preach Christ, when the glories and beauties of the word of
God dawned upon his heart. The truth cost him much, yet

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PirrssurcH, PA.

The public press now takes every advantage to sneer at,

.and compare the lives and acts of christians with infidels—

thus saying—‘How is the mighty fallen?”

There was much wheat in the Jewish church, when given
up, so too there is much wheat among the chaff and tares of
the Babylon church. As God cared for and separated every
true grain of wheat in that given up church (among them
was Paul) and called them out into the true Gospel church,
so now in this harvest he cares for every grain and now calls
to them by his word—Rev. xvii. 4: “COME OUT OF HER, MY
PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye re-
ceive not of her plagues.”

Do you advise us to disconnect ourselves from the church?
[ advise you to be separate from the world. If the church
with which you are connected, lives in adulterous union with
the world, you must, if you would keep your garments white,
leave her, “hating even the garments spotted by the flesh.”
Jude 23. With her condition you can have no fellowship
nor communion and the words of Paul 2 Cor. vi. 15, 18, would
apply to you: “What concord hath Christ with Belial?
What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye
are the temple of the Hving God.” .... “Wherefore come
out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.” If on
the contrary you associate with a company who live separate
from, and endeavor to keep themselves unspotted from the
world and bearing the fruits of the spirit—meekness, gentle-
ness, patience, Godliness, brotherly-kindness &c., be assured
it is no part of Babylon. ‘“Forsake not the assembling of
yourselves together as the manner of some is, and so much
the more as ye see the day approaching,” but, “building up
yourselves in the most holy faith ... . keep yourselves in the
love of God.” But we have a standing as individuals aside
from our church standing. As individuals we have become
joined to Christ and recognize him as our head and director.
We have professed to have died to the world and to have be-
come alive toward God through Jesus. Is our life conduct in
harmony with our covenant with Christ? Are we entirely
his? Is it our meat and drink to do his will? The profes-
sion is vain unless it is true. “His servants you are, to whom
you render service.” Our day is one of peculiar temptation
from the world. If in business, it seems to require every
moment and every energy, and we are in danger of being
swallowed up by the cares of this life, which press upon us
every moment. Remember Jesus’ words: “Ye cannot serve
God and Mammon.’—“Be not overcharged with the cares of
this life.’ Living in the world be not of it.

STETSON

he bought it gladly.

The funeral services {Sunday following) were held at “Nor-
mal Hall,” it being more commodious than any of the
churches of the place, which through respect were closed, the
pastors taking part in the services of the occasion.

The brother’s dying request that the editor of this paper
should preach his funeral sermon was complied with. About
twelve hundred persons attended the funeral services, thus
Biving evidence of the high esteem in which our brother was
held.

His family and congregation will feel keenly their loss, yet
sorrow not as those who have no hope.

IF thou art a vessel of gold, and thy brother but of wood,
be not highminded. It is God that maketh thee to differ.
The more bounty God shows the more humility he requires.
Those mines that are richest are deepest.

THY TRUTH IS MY SHIELD AND BUCKLER

“Soldiers of Christ, arise,
And put your armor on,
Strong in the strength which God supplies
Through His eternal Son;
Strong in the Lord of Hosts,
And in His mighty power;
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts,
Is more than conqueror.

TRUE LicnHT is in harmony with all previous light, or
truth.

We should scrutinize closely everything presented as light
which shines only as it is able to extinguish previous light.

Stand then in His great might,
With all His strength endued;
But take, to arm you for the fight,
The panoply of God;
That having all things done,
And all your conflicts past,
Ye may o’ercome through Christ alone,
And stand entire at last.”

Remember, too, that now (“the evil dav’) is not so much
a time of attack and advance, as of watching and withstand-
ing the attacks of error. “Take unto you the whole armor
that you my be able to withstand in the evil day.”

[46]

WHY DID CHRIST DIE?

Those who oppose the vicarious offering of Christ, admit,
of course, that he died, and to give an explanation of the
cause of His death falls upon them, and it is attempted. They
deny that in any sense He died in our stead, and one state-
ment made in explanation is: Christ bcame one of us, to
share with us the ills of life, and die like us for the same
reason that we die, because being flesh, and the flesh life
being forfeited, he must die.

The same teacher says: “A little Scripture is worth more
than a great deal of reasoning.” We accept this as true,
because God’s word is based on the infinite philosophy, which
is not always revealed, and even if it were stated in words
would be so far above the grasp of finite minds that it would
still remain unrevealed. He withholds the philosophy of some
facts which are clearly revealed. If it be true that Christ
died as one of us merely, we must infer that it was as neces-
sary that he should die for himself, as that we should die for
ourselves, on the principle of the same philosopher (?):
“Each one must suffer his own penalty.” Against such rea-
soning we set the word of the Lord and abide the issue.

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut
off BUT NOT FOR HIMSELF.” Dan. ix: 26. It has been
attempted to make it appear that Christ’s sacrifice consisted
in giving up his glory with the Father, in becoming a man.
But even if it could be proven (which it cannot) that the
Word becoming flesh was a cutting off, or a death, still that
imaginary death could not be the one referred to in the above
text. Those weeks, as has often been shown, reached to the
baptism of Jesus, where he being Christ-ened or more prop-
erly, in English, Anointed, he was manifested as the Messiah.
And after the weeks Messiah shall be cut off.

“He was cut off out of the land of the living: [not for
himself] for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”
Tsa, lii:8.

“For His life is taken from the earth.” Acts vili: 33.

His voluntary condescension in laying aside his glory and
riches, to become a man, or to take the body prepared for
sacrifice, is an important fact, and as an expression of the
love of Christ, one which we delight to see and present to
others; but the taking of the body to be offered, is surely not
to be confounded with the “offering of the body of Jesus
Christ.” (Web. x. 10.) “Being found in fashion as a man, he
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
(Phil. 2: 8.) We are lower than the angels, “and we see
Jestts made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of
death, .... that he by the grace of God might taste death
for every man” (but not for himself). (Heb. ii. 9.) The man
died. he became a man for that purpose.

“There is one God and one Mediator between God and
men—the MAN Christ Jesus, who gave himself [the man] a
ransom for all,” &, (but not for himself). (1 Tim. ii. 5,
6.) The ransom or price of anything always takes the place of
the thing bought, and in that sense Christ gave his flesh life
for the deliverance of man from death. (Heb. ii. 14, 15.) In
the same sense that he is our price, he is our substitute. If
a man knows not in what sense he was our ransom or price,
he cannot see in Christ our substitute.

Adam is the natural man. He lost his life, the natural
life. When he forfeited his life, we being in him forfeited
ours, and “so death passed upon all, for in him all have
sinned.” To redeem Adam, secures the recovery of all.
Christ takes Adam’s place, and thus the place of all, for
Adam represents all. As Adam was a natural man and lost
his natural or flesh life, the Redeemer must become a man
in order that he might have a flesh life to give as ransom.
Hence he took our nature, and for the purpose named. (Heb.
ii: 14, 16.) Here is the point where Christ needed more
than Adam. Adam had but one nature—the human, while
Christ had ¢two—the human and divine. In Christ’s earth life
the human was maftifest in form, but the divine indwelling
was the power, and “glory as of the only begotten of the
Father.” (John i: 14.) In Christ’s risen and glorified life
he wears the divine form or image of his Father. The flesh
life of Christ satisfied the claim as a ransom, but the divine
ia the resurrection and change to a spiritual body or
orm.

Had Christ been merely human his death would have been
aa Adam’s, but a Mighty One is provided who could give away
all that Adam, and all in him, had lost, and yet have an
infinite fullness of life. “He was put to death in the flesh,
but made alive by the Spirit.” (1 Pet. iii: 18.) The ransom
secures man’s recovery or reconciliation, but Christ’s divine
life imparted to us secures eternal salvation. “Reconciled by
his death, saved by his life.’ (Rom. v: 10.) Thus Christ is
the Redeemer, and also the second Adam, or head of a new
and divine race. Oh the fulness of Christ! Man’s life lost,

if not redeemed must have been lost eternally, and man’s
life is redeemed, but Christ’s flesh life was not redeemed, it
was given up forever. He gave it as man’s substitute. But
was not Christ’s flesh preserved and made alive? Yes, but
not made alive by the flesh life, but by the Spirit, as shown
above. When it was raised it was made spiritual; for he
was the “First-Born from the dead.” “And that which is
born of the spirit is spirit.” (Jno. iii: 6.) As of him so are
all who are made partakers of his divine nature, their mortal
bodies will be made alive, but like his, “it is raised a spiritual
body.” If a mortal body quickened is of necessity mortal still,
then indeed an enemy reconciled may be an enemy still (Rom.
v: 10), as is claimed by some. But if that is true then a
vile body changed must be vile still, and when God converts
the unconverted, they will be unconverted still.

Where then is our hope? How strange that men will rea-
son 80 strangely.

The same writer who says Christ died because he was
mortal, also says he died to get rid of his flesh, and show
us the way into the holiest and that he went through as the
First and our Forerunner, the last of which is true; but if as
the same writer assumes Christ and the saints are all raised
in the flesh and changed afterward, then how much does dy-
ing help them to get rid of the flesh? Are such inconsistencies
the marks of a “clean theology?” Why do men continue to
die if Christ is substitute? He died to make men alive. He
found them counted dead. Practically the work of Christ
converts death into a sleep, for all who die. Sleep implies
waking. Absolute death knows no waking. We have the
word of Jesus that “The maid is not dead but sleepeth,” and
“Lazarus sleepeth.” They were to wake. In the statement
“Man does not die,” the word die is used in the same sense as
Jesus used it, and those who cavil at the statement know
what is meant, and believe the same themselves. Let them
settle it with the Master. He gained the power to deliver
from death when he died. (Heb. ii: 14, 15.) But he does not
use that power (only in a few special cases) until the “Times
of Restitution.” The plan is to save men first, and bring them
to the knowledge of the truth afterward. So in “due time”
the fact that Christ gave himself a ransom for all will be
testified. (1 Tim. ii: 4, 6.) Men born in that age will not
even “fall asleep” for Adam’s sin, and it will not be so diffi-
cult for them to believe in substitution. They will realize
that the ransom paid is what prevents the original sentence
passed upon all, from being executed upon them.

Now, because we are exceptions to the rule, i. e., get the
light or the knowledge of the truth before the “due time,” it
seems more difficult to catch the idea of the ransom. As we
are now counted dead in Adam before we die, so we are
counted redeemed in Christ, and we are dealt with in regard
to the truth as if we had actually been dead and raised again.
This is why those who now become partakers of the divine
nature are not raised in the flesh, like the rest of mankind.
who have not heard the Gospel, but having here, like their
Head, voluntarily crucified the flesh with its affections and
lusts, are raised a spiritual body, and to a share in his work
of restoring and enlightening the world. The world of man-
kind will be raised in the same kind of life that Adam lost.
and by the knowledge of the truth be begotten to a higher life.
If they obey the law of that higher life they will never die,
but will be changed into the immortal state. If they disobey
they must die—the second death. Some talk of the necessity
of death as if a change from mortality to immortality were
death. An ege is not lost that develops into a chicken: a
grub does not die that changes into a butterfly. “Enoch was
translated that he should not see death.”

Those who die in the future age will be as an egg with a
germ of life implanted and hegun to hatch, and then removed
from proper heat and moisture. No man will die eternally
for Adam’s sin. Christ hath redeemed us once for all. And
he has redeemed all. This salvation by Christ’s death does
not secure spiritual life for any, but it makes it possible for
all. The knowledge of the truth. which is the begetting
power, is the gift of God to all. But when the new life by
the spirit of truth is begun, man is held responsible to obey.
The salvation by Christ’s death is the “foundation for repent-
ance,” because it is the goodness of God that leadeth men -
repentance. Hence to ignore the value of Christ’s death.
to belittle God’s love and saving power. For God sonanendetl
his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ
died for us.—Rom. v: 6.

We are glad now this subject is agitated, as it is to us
an additional evidence that the “due time” is datening in
which God’s Jove in giving Christ as a ransom for all, is to
be made known. Oh that those who oppose it may not be of
those who have known and then rejected. J. H. P.

[47] (3)

THE NAME OF JESUS

‘What's in a name?” igs often asked, implying insignifi-
cance, and it may make but little difference to a man whether
he be called Peter, James, John, Moses, Aaron or even Joshua
(Jesus) in times when these and other names are used with-
out any reference to their signification. But in Bible study
we are impressed with the idea that names are full of mean-
ing. They were given with reference to time, place or circum-
stance, past, present or future. Some names were as monu-
ments to remind of some special dealings of the Lord, and
others were prophetic. The qualities, work or destiny of an
individual was often expressed by his name. When the direc-
tion of a life was changed it was sometimes indicated by a
change of name. Adam, indicates man’s origin—“of the earth,
earthy.” Cain, is “acquired,” and the woman was mistaken
in the value of the man she had gotten of the Lord. Abel,
is “feeder,” a shepherd, and fitly represents the great Shep-
herd of the sheep, who gave his life for them. Abraham
means “father of a great multitude,” or “of many nations.”
His name was changed from Abram to Abraham when God
made him the promise. (Gen. 17: 5,) And in reference to the
same great plan Sarai was changed to Sarah, i. e., Princess.
(Ver. 15) These are prophetic in their character and point to
the grand success of the gospel in bringing the nations to God,
the Father of all, through the agency of the “seed” of promise
—Christ and the church—the antitypes of Isaac and Rebekah.
David, means beloved, a type of Christ, the true King of
Israel. David as a prophet personifies Christ, and God makes
promises to him as if he were Christ.

The excellent language of David—“Thou wilt not leave my
soul in the grave, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to
see corruption,”—was fulfilled in the triumphant resurrection
of Christ from the dead. The name given is made to refer
to position or official relationship, so that the position ta
meant when the word ‘‘name” is used. Even in this sense “a
good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” The
success of the Lord’s work is to Him “for a name’’—an
honor. (Isa. lv:13.) To the obedient the Lord promises “an
everlasting name.” (lIvi.:5) “but the name of the wicked shall
rot.” (Prov. x:7.) To receive a prophet in the name of a
prophet certainly refers to his official character. “Thou shalt
call his name Jesus because He shall save His people from
their sins.” Jesus, means Saviour, and we are carried for-
ward from the mere word to the exalted official position, on
account of which he can “save to the uttermost all who come
unto God by him.” His position is contrasted with that of
men and angels, as he is Lord of both, having “all power
in heaven and earth.” Hence it is said, “Let all the angels
of God worship him”; [that must include Michael, the
chief angel, hence Michael is not the Son of God] and the
reason is, because he has “by inheritance obtained a more
excellent Name than they.” Michael or Gabriel are perhaps
grander names than Jesus, though Jesus is grand in its
very simplicity, but the official character of the Son of God
as Saviour and King is the inheritance from his Father,
which is far superior to theirs, for it pleased the Father
that in him all fullness should dwell. He has given him a
name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow both in heaven and earth. And there
is “none other name under heaven given among men whereby
we must be saved.”

With this view before our minds that the name refers
to his official position, the importance of taking from among
the Gentiles a “people for his name” will be appreciated. As
the wife takes the name of her husband, so the church takes
the name of her Head. The two made one is the fact of
importance. Not one in name merely, but in fact, as repre-
sented by the name—one in spirit, position, aim and work.
The difference between the terms Jesu-it and Christian may
illustrate a point. The first relates to the letter, as Jesus is
a proper name; the second relates more nearly to the spirit,
as Christ means anointed and refers to his official position.

We are not here pleading for a name, but what appears to
be an important idea. There is doubtless as much danger

in using the name Christian as the name of a sect, as in using
other names. The one body knows no divisions. All who
have the spirit of Christ are one whether they fully realize it
or not; one in spirit now and when glorified—married—
one in every possible sense, even as the Father and Son are
one. Jno. xvii:22, 23.

To be baptised into the name of Jesus (or Father, Son
and holy Spirit,) as in him all fullness of the Godhead dwells,
means far more than a baptismal formula. It is by the
apostle expressed as being baptised by one spirit into one
body. (1 Cor. xii:13.) There are letter and spirit in the
subject of baptism as in almost every other part of God’s
plan. We should not ignore or belittle either. The letter
represents the spirit, as a symbol or “likeness of his death,”
and “resurrection.” (Rom. vi:5.) Those who can appreciate
the spirit need not and are not most likely to ignore the
letter, but it seems important that we should guard against
mere formalism. In spirit, to be baptised Involves a death to
sin, a rising into a new life of obedience, and a consequent
formation of a character;—having “your fruit unto holiness
and the end everlasting life.’ (Rom. vi:22.) “As many
of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ.”
(Gal. ii1:27.) “Into one body!” “Ye are members of
Christ,” as in the figure used, bone of his bone and flesh of
his flesh. (Eph. v:30.) Do not confound the figure with
the reality, do not imagine we will lose our individuality. The
body of Christ is a body corporate, each individual acting
in harmony with each other and wnder the direction of Christ
for the manifestation of God’s love in the salvation of men.

The human body is used to represent the church, but in
this as in all other figures the reality is but dimly fore-
shadowed. As Jesus is the anointed, so are we, and for the
same purpose. He is both king and priest, so we are to be
kings and priests—kings to rule and priests to bless.

To be baptised into his name is to become sharers in his
spirit, his character, his official position and his work. The
power given to him will be manifested through his saints. He
is our Saviour, but the body corporate will save the world.
He will continue to be our Head, but the church will be the
head of the world. Adam was the head of his wife, but they
were the united head of the race. The natural is the shadow
of the spiritual. Our position will be higher than the
highest angel. We, like them, will die no more; but as we
for a little while have been lower than the angels, and ir
an important sense under their influence, they in this world
being ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation, so in the
world to come, the church being then exalted to the throne
of him who is Lord of both angels and men, the “saints will
judge (rule) angels,” and “judge (rule) the world” too. In
that day when every knee shall bow to the highest mani-
fested authority—before the Messiah’s throne—the Queen as
well as the King will be there. Is it a false ambition, to look
for such royal honor? The voice of our coming husband
sounds sweetly upon our ears as we struggle on amid the
trials of this life. The overcomer will sit with me in my
throne. Will he allure us on by such a hope to deceive us?
Are the crown, throne and kingdom promised but unmeaning
words? Are our hopes in vain? Will they vanish in fulfill-
ment? Away with the doubt, it is Satan’s snare; our Lover
is true and faithful. and He has “all power.” Call it an
unworthy ambition and selfish withal, do you? Then God
never would have given the inducement. If this hope of ours
is selfish, then our Saviour is selfish. For the joy set be-
fore him he endureth; but it is a benevolent selfishness. His
power is exercised to bless. The greater serves the less.

How else could we enter into the joy of our Lord than by
reaching a position from which we can pour blessing on
the needy? He hath given him a name above every name.
Oh that we may realize our privilege of sharing it!

Baptised into the Saviour’s death,
With him we rise again;
His spirit moves our every breath,
With him we'll live and reign. J. H. P.

THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

One great reason for the perverted views respecting the
Messianic age, is the failure to understand the Bible meaning
of the word judgment. It has several significations. Some-
times it means simply an examination or investigation of
certain facts, testimony or arguments, in order to ascertain
truth, or to reach a just decision. We also use the term to
express that quality of mind which enables one to correctly
grasp the true conclusion; as we speak of a person having good
judgment. It often means the determination arrived at in the

mind; also the results flowing from the trial and decision
in the distribution of the rewards or punishments.

We have been taught to associate the word, when found in
the Scriptures, with the last mentioned meaning, i. e. the
executive judgment, which signification it certainly has;
nevertheless, it also and frequently refers to the trial itself
while in progress. Notice the first occurrence of the word in
the New Testament, (Matt. vii:1, 2,) would clearly bear this
rendering: “Test not, that ye be not tested. For with what

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judgment [justice] ye test, ye shall be tested.” The same
word [Greek, krimati] here translated judgment is used in 1
Cor. vi. 7, referring to law suits. “Now therefore there is
utterly a fault among you, because you have krimati [trials]
one with another.” During the Gospel age, the church have
been having their trial. (1 Pet. iv. 12, 17). And, in the
Millennial age, those who have stood the test and are ac-
counted overcomers, shall share the throne with Jesus Christ
our Lord, and shall rule over the nations during their trial;
and having subdued all opposition will inaugurate the reign
of peace, as it is written.

“Give to the King thy judgments, O God,

And thy righteousness to the King’s son.”

We, the church of the first born, the body of Christ, are
collectively with our Head—the King’s Son.

“He shall judge thy people with righteousness,
And thy poor with rectitude.
The mountains shall bear peace for the people,
And the hills, by righteousness.
He shall judge the poor of the people;
He shall save the sons of the needy;
He shall break in pieces the oppressor;
He shall come down as rain on the mown grass,
As showers that refresh the earth.
In his days shall the righteous flourish,
And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more.
All kings shall bow down to him;
All nations shall serve him.” —Ps. Ixxii. 1, 11.

What a blessed day that day of judgment will be!

“A day of light and gladness,

Such as earth has never known,
When in equity and justice.

Christ shall reign on David’s throne.”

Yes! a day of light. Listen to Isaiah:

“The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun,
and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of
seven days, in the day that Jehovah bindeth up the breach
of his people, (the Jews) and healeth the stroke of their
wound.” Isa. xxx. 26. This is not spoken of natural, but of
spiritual light. Now, the people are in darkness; they “stum-
ble at his word,” and murmur at his dealings. But, says the
prophet, “In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the

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book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity,
and out of darkness. They also that erred in spirit shall come
to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn
doctrine.” Isa. xxix. 18, 24,

This spiritual light is no longer confined to the few; it
is universal.
“All the ends of the earth

Jehovah,

And all the families of nations shall worship before thee.
For the kingdom is Jehovah’s,
And he is ruler among the nations.”

shall remember and turn to

“All nations which thou hast made
Shall come and bow down before thee, O Lord!
And shall give glory to thy name.”

“Let the peoples praise thee, O God;

Let all the peoples praise thee.

Let the nations be glad and shout for joy,

For thou wilt judge the peoples righteously,

And the nations in the earth, thou wilt guide them.”

O that that day with all its light and glory and blessed-
ness were upon us. Thank God, it is not in the vague and
distant future! It is almost here; the morning already
dawns, and while we wait, not for the morning, but for the
day, looking out upon the world, still stumbling in darkness,
writhing under the iron heel of the oppressor, groaning under
its load of sin and disease and death; and knowing full well
that for them there is no release until He come whose right
it is to reign; and who reigning shall crush the head of the
serpent and deliver those who were all their life-time subject
to this bondage, bringing the whole creation into the glorious
liberty of the children of God, from the depths of our hearts
we pray, as taught by the Master: “THY KINGDOM COME, thy
will be done on earth as in Heaven;” and with Solomon we
join in singing:

“Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel,
Who alone doeth wondrous things.
And blessed be his glorious name forevermore;

AND LET THE WHOLE EARTH RE FILLED WITH
HIS GLORY. AMEN AND AMEN,” W. I. M.

THE WEDDING GARMENT

NO. TWO

“When the king came in to see the guests (assembled
for the wedding), he saw there a man who had not on
a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how
camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And
he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants,
Bind him hand and foot and take him away, and cast him
into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth. For many are called but few are chosen.”—Matt.
xxl, 1], 14.

As the parable of Christ relates the history of the living
phase of the gospel church, this closing scene must refer
to the condition of those who are “alive and remain” and
are expecting to share the glory promised to the church. All
who were thus gathered by the servants, were supposed to he
ready for the marriage, but the great Inspector, who knows
even the thoughts and intents of the heart, detects the lack
and sifts out the unfit. The “chosen” are those who have
that qualification represented by the “wedding garment.” The
one who is without it, doubtless represents a class who
thought they were ready for the marriage, and were bitterly
disappointed; their great sorrow may be expressed by the
“weeping and gnashing of teeth.” As the wedding garment
represents readiness, we can not be indifferent as to what it is.

There are two views of this subject which we wish to
consider. Some believe that the wedding garment is a
“clean theology,” and others that it is a “holy character.”
Now we confess that the latter view strikes us as more in
harmony with the spirit of the gospel and the teachings of
the apostles. We do not, however, ignore the importance
of the knowledge of what our Father has been pleased to
reveal in reference to his plans. The apostle exhorts to
“grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. iii. 18.) Men are in danger of being
extremists on this as on almost all other Bible themes—
some making too much and others too little of the importance
of knowledge of theory or correct theology. But we are quite
sure that the relation between knowledge of truth and char-
acter is not lost sight of by the apostles. It is believed
by some that it is not possible to have a right theory or

theology, without its producing the right condition of mind
and consequent obedience. And such ones endeavor to be
consistent with their theory by never talking or writing
on practical themes, and never exhorting to obedience. There
is however a marked difference in this respect between
the writings of such brethren and the writings of
the apostles. There has been a time in the past
when the writer of this was inclined to the extreme
view that knowledge was sufficient of itself to produce prac-
tical results, and therefore, that it was necessary only to
preach the right theo~y, and that exhortation was of very little
importance. But the reading of the inspired letters to the
churches aroused us to the consciousness that in taking such
ground we were contradicting the holy Spirit. No one can
read carefully the apostles’ writings and not be impressed with
the fact that a large portion of such writings are erhortations
to practical holy living. Knowledge does not always produce
obedience or all such exhortations would be in vain. We cannot
resist the inference that the holy Spirit does nothing in vain.
But we are not left to inference. Paul tells us of some who
“hold the truth in unrighteousness,’ (Rom. i. 18.) which
would be impossible if the view presented were correct. The
wrath of God is revealed against the ungodliness and unright-
eousness of such men. “Because that when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful.” (Ver.
21) “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness (Ver.
24.) If knowledge is righteousness Paul should not and would
not have written as he did. The nature of the unrighteousnes:
is apparent in the context.

John gives us a definition of a righteous man which is
worthy of our attention. “Little children, let no man deceive
you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is
righteous.” (1 Jno. iii. 7) “In this the children of God are
manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not
righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his
brother.” (Ver. 10) Who can fail to see that the object
sought in giving men the truth, is character—to bring men
into a Godlike condition. and that if men do not obey the
truth, and fail to realize and to express love in their lives,

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all is vain. Truth obeyed will prove the savor of life unto
life, but disobeyed, the savor of death unto death. Knowl-
edge is power either for good or evil; and the greater one’s
knowledge the greater his responsibility. “To whom much
is given much is required.” “This is the condemnation, that
light is come, and men loved darkness rather than light
because their deeds were evil.” If knowledge is righteousness,
how could any man sin willfully after having come to the
knowledge of the truth, and how could any human being be
lost? for God has arranged that “all men shall come to the
knowledge of the truth,” because he is the “true light that
lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” We have
the unmistakable testimony of Paul that though a man “have
the gift of prophecy, and wnderstand all mysteries, and all
knowledge, and though he have all faith so that he could
remove mountains, and have not charity [love], he is noth-
ing.” 1 Cor. xili. 2.

We are referred to the statement of Paul: “Abraham
believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,”
as proof that faith is righteousness. With this idea James is
made to contradict Paul, for he says Abraham was justified by
works and not by faith only (Ch. ii. 24); and John
contradicts Paul when he tells us that “all unrighteous-
ness is sin,” and as we have seen already, that righteous-
ness is doing right. And Paul is even made to con-
tradict himself in what we have quoted from him. But
these men do not contradict each other, and their harmony
will be apparent when we remember that Paul commends the
“faith that works by love.” (Gal. v. 6.) That Abraham’s
faith, and that of all other Bible worthies was of this
type—i. e. a working faith—will be seen by reference to their
history. They were justified by faith, when their faith led
them to do what God required of them. “By faith Abel
offered sacrifice.’ Heb. xi. 2.

“By faith Noah .... prepared an ark.” (Ver. 7) “By
faith Abraham .... obeyed and went out” &c. (Ver. 8.)
“By faith Abraham . . offered up Isaac.” (Ver. 17.)

They acted by faith, so says James of Abraham. By works
his faith was made perfect. (Ch. ii. 22.) The woman’s
faith saved her, but not till it led her to touch the Saviour.
It existed before she was healed. So we see that faith alone
does not save, and is not righteousness.

We have no doubt that the “wedding garment” is the
“fine linen, clean and white” with which the Bride is clothed,
and “the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.” (Rev.
xix. 8.) But we can not believe that it is limited to her
theology, but that it must include her character. It is the
righteousness of her manifested in her life. The garment
expresses her condition—her loyalty, her purity and her
fellowship with God. Her righteousness is that to which she
is called: “God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to
holiness.” (1 Thess. iv. 7.) The garment expresses the
effect sought and gained, rather than the means God uses
to bring it about. “This is the will of God even your
sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” (Ver.
3.) To sanctify is to set apart for holy use, or to make
holy or free from sin. Merely to “set apart” for any purpose
is not to sanctify. ‘Now being made free from sin, and
become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and
the end everlasting life.’ (Rom. vi. 22.) “Herein is my

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PirrsBurGH, Pa.

Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” “As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no
more can ye except ye abide in me.” “If ye keep my com-
mandments ye shall abide in my love.” “This is my com-
mandment, that ye love one another.” (John 15.) “He that
Joveth not his brother abideth in death” “He that loveth not
knoweth not God, for God is love.”

“The object of our union with Christ is to develop his life
and love in us, and that by his spirit the deeds of the flesh
might be mortified.” (Rom. viii. 13.) A garment spotted
with the flesh shows that the carnal or fleshly nature is not
wholly subdued. “If ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but
if ye, through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye
shall live.”

If any one will take the trouble of examining the New
Testament with the help of a concordance on this subject
of purity, spotlessness, holiness and kindred ideas, they will be
surprised that any one should even think of applying them to
anything else than purity of heart and life. Get your
theology corrected as fast as the truth is made plain to you,
but do not let any one think that theology is a garment.
We must be clothed with righteousness. “He that hath clean
hands and a pure heart” shall ascend into the hill of the Lord.
(Ps. xxiv. 3, 4.) “Work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you, both to will
and to do of his good pleasure.” The wedding garment is the
divine nature developed and manifested.

That those who live late in the dispensation should have
more light than those who lived further back in the shining
path, is true, but the same overcoming of the flesh and loyalty
to God was required of those who fell asleep as of us. They
were tested in their life, as are we and found the character
which fitted them for the kingdom before they slept. If a
perfect theology were the wedding garment, then none but
the last generation (even if they) could be the Bride. But
the Bride made ready evidently refers to the whole company,
whether waking or sleeping, who were in Christ Jesus and con-
secrated to God’s will. He has become “the author of eternal
salvation to all them that obey him,” This spirit of loyalty
to Christ is one of the most essential qualities of a true dis
ciple, or learner, and will be of great assistance to us all in
perfecting our theology, and getting the victory over every
element or characteristic of the beast.

If any should inquire of us what was the leading and con-
trolling “mark” or quality of the beast, we would write in
large letters: DOGMATISM AND INTOLERANCE. It is no
proof that a doctrine is false because the Catholics believe it.
Neither is it proof that a doctrine is true because a reformer,
one whom God has used and led, promulgates it. Let us
beware what we receive from any one; and “prove all things”
by the word of the Lord.

And above all may we he able to adorn our lives with holi-
ness: “Add to faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge, and to
knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to
patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and
to brotherly kindness, CHARITY.” Last the greatest! If we
have these, we shall have the “abundant entrance.” (2 Pet.
i. 5, 11.) To such the king will not say, “Why camest
thou in hither?” but, “Well done! Enter thou into the joy
of thy Lord.” Amen. J. H. P.

SONS OF GOD

Have we ever fully realized what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God? While the sons are being perfected, it 1s
not expected that the trorld will understand it, for it is
declared that the world knoweth ws not, because it knew
him not. But it is expected of the professed “followers of
God as dear children” to understand their relationship to the
Father, and to receive instruction from him.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall
appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
1} John iii. 1, 2.

“Ag many as are led hy the spirit of God, they are the
sons of God.” (Rom. viil. 14.) “Begotten sons, waiting for
the adoption”—full sonship.

The relationship to God as sons, was little, if at all
understood, prior to the advent of Jesus Christ in the flesh.
‘Now this I say, that the heir as long as he is a child,
differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all:
but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed
of the father; even so we, when we were children, were in
bondage under the elements of the world; but when the fullness

of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a
woman, made under the law, that we might receive the
adantion of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent
forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba,
Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son;
and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”—Gal.
iv. 1-7.

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household—
family—of God; and are built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief
corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together,
groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye are also
huilded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.”
—Eph. ii. 19. 22.

We see then that the evidence of sonship, is being led
by the Spirit; having the spirit of truth to guide us into all
truth. bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children
of God; and if children, then heirs; “heirs of God, and joint
heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we
may he also glorified together.”—Rom. vili. 16, 17.

Jesus said; “If ye love me, ye will keep my words.

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Novemzer, 1879

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends. This is my commandment, that ye
love one another, as I have loved you. Ye are my friends, if
ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not
servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth;
but I have called you friends; for all things that I have
heard of my Father, I have made known unto you.”—John
xv. 12, 15.

What an inestimable privilege our Father has conferred
upon us, that we should be exalted to the glorious position of
sons of God; and to know, even here, what our Lord does;
by being taught of him. “Ye have an unction from the Holy

One, and ye know all things. But the anointing which ye
have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that
any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of
all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath
taught you, ye shall abide in [him] it.”—1 John ii. 20, 27.

We are living in the period of Christ’s (Parousia) pres-
ence; and consequently near to the time when the sons of God
will be glorified ; so it comes to us with peculiar force, to heed
the injunction of the “disciple whom Jesus loved”: “And now
little children, abide in him; that when he shall appear, we
may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his
(Parousia) presence. If ye know that he is righteous, ye
know that every one that doeth righteousness, is born [be-
gotten] of him.” (1 John ii. 28, 29.) “For ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have

Ques. If Christ laid down his natural life, to redeem
the natural life of man, I can see how Christ’s death might
benefit the world who are to be brought back in the natural
or flesh-life, but how in that case could his death be any
benefit to the Christian who is to be raised a spiritual body?

Ans. As we are counted dead in Adam before we actually
die so are we counted alive again in Christ, before it is ac-
tually brought about. The object of counting the church re-
deemed now is that they may be on trial for eternal life,
which they could not be if they were still counted dead.

The plan of God is to redeem from death first and bring
to the knowledge of the truth afterward, as has often been
shown. That is the rule, but with the church there is an
exception. As they get the knowledge before the time, for
special reasons—that they may be developed as the Bride to
assist the Husband in the future work—so they are dealt
with as if they had already been redeemed. An unredeemed
man has nothing to give to, or use for the Lord. All was
lost in Adam. But the Christian is always counted free
from the claims of the law and the devil, in the word, hence
he is expected to live for and use ALL for the Lord. “Ye are
bought [redeemed, ransomed] with a price, therefore glorify
God in your body and in your spirit, which are his.” We
quote on this point a short extract from a letter of one who
appreciates the value of Christ’s death even to the Christian.

“If a man wished to bestow a title of honor and an in-
heritance on a slave, would he not first make him free? How
could a single soul be converted if not first counted alive in
God’s sight? ‘Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give thee light.? Our freedom, so that
we may choose eternal life, is based on the death of Christ.”

Christ is both our ransom to redeem us, and our example
of voluntary obedience. He consented to the crucifixion.
“Wherefore God hath highly exalted him” ete. (Phil. ii. 9.)
and if we by the same Spirit, “crucify the flesh with its af-
fections and lusts” we like him will be raised a spiritual body.
In the successful life—“‘faithful unto death” the object of re-
demption is attained. The world being raised in flesh will
then have the flesh to crucify. Christian, you are now enjoy-
ing the benefits of Christ’s death, you are also made partaker
of the Divine Nature by the Spirit. “Therefore ye are debtors,
not to the flesh, for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die,
but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the
body ye shall live.’ When the work begun in you is per-
fected, then “mortality will be swallowed up in life.”

QuEs. Do you believe Christ came in the character of a
Bridegroom at the beginning of both the Jewish and Gospel
harvests?

Ans. Ido. I understand that he came in that character
at the beginning of the Jewish harvest as a part of the pattern,
and at the beginning of the Gospel harvest as a parallel. John
iii, 29, is a clear statement of the fact in relation to the first.
The second depends on a number of evidences drawn from the
prophetic periods and the parallelism of the two dispensations
including the application of the parable of the “Ten Virgins.”

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(6-7)

received the Spirit of adoption—sonship—whereby we cry,
Abba, Father.” “For unto you it is given, in behalf of Christ,
not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”—
Phil. i. 29.

How it strengthens us to “endure hardness;” and to
“press forward;” and to rejoice, “inasmuch as, if we are par-
takers of Christ’s sufferings, when his glory shall be revealed,
we may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Pet. iv. 13.)
“Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the
things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became
the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
Heb. v. 8.

If with him God will freely give us all things; shall we not,
as sons, share with him as the author of eternal salvation?
“The whole creation waiteth for the manifestation of the
sons of God.” (Rom. viii. 10.) At present the world knows
them not. As God is love, think you he will have anything
but a loving family? We are taught to love the brotherhood;
as members of one body to be interested in each other.

The first of the fruits of the spirit is Love. We are also
taught, by precept and example, to love our enemies. There
remaineth these three: faith, hope and love; but the greatest
is love.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

To deny that he came as Bridegroom at the beginning of
the Gospel harvest in 1874, is to ignore the proper parallel-
ism between the thirty years of tarrying at each advent. He
is revealed as both Bridegroom and Reaper in both harvests.
The first is the type—the second the antitype. He did not
come at the first to be espoused to the Gospel church and go
away. His espousal to the Gospel church did not take place
until the descent of the holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost,
(the antitype of Eleazar, meeting Rebecca at the well where
she received the bracelets and earrings—the “earnest’’) and
all know that this was after Christ had gone away. His min-
istry in the flesh was not to the sons but to the servants—the
Jewish church. “I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel.’ Hence his command: “Go not in the way
of the Gentiles,” ete. It is true the natural seed in some
sense belonged to God, but when Christ became a Son, God
became a Father, and the Son represented his Father, hence
“he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” Christ’s
work in the flesh was to finish the work of God, with the
typical seed.

His coming as Bridegroom like all other features was a
part of the pattern. Christ as his Father’s representative
could say: “All mine are thine, and thine are mine and I am
glorified in them.” (Jno. xvii. 10.) This was of the disciples.

Though the natural seed belonged to God, yet of Christ
it is said: “He came to his own and his own received him
not.” He came as Bridegroom and was rejected. They were
bidden but were found unworthy, hence the turning to the
Gentiles—“the highways and hedges.” And those murderers he
destroyed and burned up their city. (See Matt. xxii. 1-14.)
We hope all will continue to search carefully and prayerfully
until they find the true relation between the work of the
Father and the Son. Truth is what we want.

Ques. Why do you not admit the distinction made by the
oo. seeneen the work of the Father and the Son?—ZJno.
v. 21, ;

ANS. We do admit the distinction if we understand what
it is. We have failed to express our thoughts correctly to
any who suppose we make no distinction. We will try again.
The coming of Jesus in the flesh, we regard as the dividing
line between the two works referred to by the Saviour. “My
Father worketh HITHERTO (i. e. before I came) and (now
that I have come) I work.” (V. 17.) There is a sense in
which all things were made by Him, as the Pre-existent One.
but we do not find any scripture which speaks of Christ as
the Son until the coming in the flesh, and that is the stand-
point of Jesus when he used the above language.

“My Father worketh hitherto,” cte., we use as the key to
unlock the rest. “For as the Father [hitherto] raiseth up
the dead and quickeneth them, EVEN so the Son [now and
henceforward] quickeneth whom he will,” and the reason given
is that the Father has given the work into his hands. “.1/]
things” (ver. 20) which includes “judement” (ver. 22.) and
“raising up the dead.” (ver. 21 and 29.) The tense of the verb
“raiseth” (ver. 21) is the same as “worketh” (ver. 17), and

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(7-8)

yet the Saviour puts it in the past by the word “hitherto.”
When Christ says: “I work” he does not mean that he does a
work “distinct from the Father”; for he says: “The Son can
do nothing of himself” (ver. 19) and “The Father that dwell-
eth in me, he doeth the work.” Even of the work of judg-
ment committed to Christ he says: “I can of mine own self
do nothing, as I hear, I judge,” etc. (ver. 30) “And if I
judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I and
the Father which sent me.” {viilil. 16) Before Jesus came,
God did the work, but since the Son came the Father works
by him. It is not less true that God works by Christ since
the resurrection than it was before. If the divine hidden
in the flesh was able to express itself in acts of power, surely
the fully developed Son of God should have just what he
claims, “All power .... in heaven and earth.” “The Father
judgeth no man,” we must understand as teaching that he
does not judge “distinct from the Son” for he had committed
the work unto the Son—‘Immanuel.” We have already
shown that Christ so taught, and Paul expresses the same
thought: “God hath appointed a day in the which HE will
judge the world, by that man whom he hath ordained.” &c.
Acts xvli. 31. God judges, and yet Christ “will judge the
living AND THE DEAD at his appearing and kingdom,” 2 Tim.

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PITTSBURGH, Pa.

iv. 1, “The Father judgeth no man” and yet “God (is) the
Judge of all.” Heb. xii. 13.

In the prophecy of the invitation going to “all
the ends of the earth” God says: “There is no God heside
me; a just God and a Saviour, and none beside me.” “I am
God. ....I1 have sworn by myself, that unto me every
knee shall bow.” Isa. xlv. 21, 23. And yet God hath exalted
Jesus and given him the name at which all shall bow. :

“We trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men,
especially of those that believe.” Here Christ is not men-
tioned. Shall we therefore conclude that God does it all “as
distinct from Christ?” or shall we believe that Christ is the
Mediator by whom God does the work? God raises the dead,
but Christ is his Agent, so to speak. He will quicken the
mortal bodies of his saints, but by “Christ in you.” Compare
Rom. viii. 9, 10, 11, where “Spirit of God,” “Spirit of Christ”
and “Christ in you” are used interchangeably. The distinction
Christ makes is between what was done before he came and
since. And we understand him to teach that since he came
his work and the Father’s is one and not distinct one from
the other.

If any can not see it thus, we still pray for heaven’s bless-
ing on you all. J. H. P.

BIBLE CLASS DEPARTMENT

THE VERBAL ACCURACY OF GOD’S WORD

“Every word of God is pure. He is a shield to them that
trust in Him—add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove
thee, and thou be found a liar.”—Prov. xxx. 5, 6.

Paul sharply criticised some ignorant persons who came
into the church indulging in strifes of words, and we fre-
quently find misunderstandings and divisions caused solely by
a lack of knowledge of the meaning of important words and
phrases. In fact there are sects in the Christian world today,
as we all know, who are cut off and separated from other
parts of the body simply by a difference of opinion as to the
exact meaning of perhaps a single word. The Psalmist said:
“He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed
the eye, shall he not see?” Surely we can also say: He that
made the tongue, and who gave us his law clothed in human
language did he not know what words to select? It is evi-
dent that the holy Spirit inspired—not simply the broad
ideas—but, in many cases at least, the exact phraseology.

So fully did the Jews believe this that the penalty of
death was imposed on the Scribe, who, in copying the law,
dared to alter a single word. So fully did Paul rest on the
verbal accuracy of the Scriptures, that, relying on a single
letter, he, at one bold stroke, cut away the main stay—so to
speak—of the proud hopes of the whole Jewish nation. A
hope which had been cherished for ages; that they, and they
alone, were the chosen seed of Abraham, and the heirs to all
the promises. Said he: “Know you, certainly, that those of
faith, these are the sons of Abraham. .... Now to Abraham
were the promises spoken, even for his SEED. He does not
say ‘And to the SEEDS,’ as concerning many, but as concerning
one; ‘and to thy SEED’—who is Christ. .... If ye are Christ’s,
then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.”*

Only the knowledge of this fact, we think, could enable
the Master to say so confidently, “Till heaven and earth pass
away, one iota [smallest letter in Greek alphabet] or one fine
point fof a letter] shall not pass from the law till all be ful-
filled.”

That God’s Word is perfect, is above controversy; we have
indeed the oft repeated and divinely inspired assurance of the
fact. That our English translation is perfect, is by no means
as certain; in fact, we have abundant proof to the contrary.
The truth is, howsoever faithful or capable the scholar may be,
it is still simply impossible to make of any extended portion
of the Word a concise and perfect translation. For this
reason: If each of the nations of earth possessed exactly the
same sets of ideas, expressed in exactly the same manner, one
word for each division of thought, the work of changing from
one language to another would be comparatively easy. But,
as we know, this is not the case. One Greek word may express
a thought embodied in several English words. Again, it may
take a number of Greek words to cover all that is contained
in a single English one. If words were made of India rubber,
they might he stretched as occasion required; and indeed, there
are those who so use them; but they are really more like a
piece of hardened steel; which, while it may have different
shapes, as viewed from different sides, is still unyielding and
unchanging.

It is sometimes expedient in composing to use synonymous

words when no change of sense is intended, in order to avoid
repetition; but if this be done in translating, it is likely to
cause—if not obscurity—at least doubt and uncertainty. But
the translators of our version of the Bible did this very thing,
and willingly acknowledge it. In the preface they say: “We
have not tied ourselves to an uniformity of phrasing or to an
identity of words..... That we should express the same
notion in the same particular word, as for example, if we
translate the Hebrew or Greek word by purpose, never to
call it intent,” &ce.

It had been better many times that they had been more
strictly literal, even to the charge of producing a monotonous
repetition. Our modern taste, we know, prefers a change in
the sound, but we sometimes lose in force and power in obtain-
ing that object. Paul was peculiarly fond of repetition. He
is sometimes, as Paley says: “off at a word.” When he strikes
an expression that pleases him, he—like a child with a sweet
butternut—turns it over and over, picking out at each fresh
position some dainty bit, and refusing apparently, to lay it
down until the last rich morsel has been extracted. We have
a specimen in 2 Cor. ch. i. “Blessed be God, even the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God
of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that
we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by
the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Here our translators tired of the repetition. Not so Paul.
He had not yet extracted all the comfort out of the blessed
word, and so he goes on thus: “For as the sufferings of Christ
abound in us, so our comfort also abounded through Christ.
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your comfort and salva-
tion... . or whether we be comforted, it is for your comfort
and salvation,.... knowing that as ye are partakers of
the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the comfort.”

Some original words have been translated by so many
English ones, and the rendition has been in certain cases so
arbitrary, that there is blind confusion and an utter failure
to perceive the true import of the Divine Word.

We are not faultfinding. The translators of King James’
version, so called, probably did the very best they could under
the circumstances. We of 1879 are living more than a quarter
of a millennium nearer the perfect day. Indeed we fully be-
lieve that that perfect day is already dawning upon us. We
have light, let us have truth. Truth at any price. Truth,
if it overthrows long cherished errors. Truth, if it sweeps
away musty cobwebs, once gossamer filaments of fancy, en-
shrined in our hearts. Truth, if the heavens fall: but they
cannot fall, they rest on truth.

Let not a superstitious reverence for the old, take the place
of a holy veneration for the pure, although it may seem to
be new. Error may be old. TRUTH IS ETERNAL.

We purpose in succeeding numbers of THE WatcH Tower to
make use of the “Bible Class” department for short items of
interest, both critical and explanatory, including the transla-
tions of words and phrases; and various readings from differ-
ent scholars; earnestly seeking by the help of him who is the
Light, the Truth, the Way, to come to knowledge of the truth,
all the truth, and only the truth. The Spirit has promised to
guide us “into all the truth.” Let us “follow on to know the

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Novemerr, 1879

Lord.” Not that we may “hold the truth in unrighteousness,”
which is plainly possible; but, being “sanctified by the truth,”
“we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried

ZION’S WATCH TOWER (8)

about with every wind of doctrine .... but holding the
truth, may in love grow up into him in all things, who is
the head—Christ.” W. 1. M.

LIFE*

*[See Volume V, Scripture Studies, for an accurate presentation of this subject. The light was shining dimly in 1879.]

The Bible student is often puzzled with the question, How
many kinds of life are there, and what is the difference be-
tween them? Our authorized version answers the question
vaguely, if at all.

The word life, as found in the New Testament, is, in most
places, a translation from one of the two Greek words, zoee
and psuchee. The rendering of both by the one English word life
covers up a clean-cut difference of meaning between the two.

The word psuchee has several significations. When it
refers to life, and is so translated in our New Testament, it
invariably alludes to the natural, fleshly, or blood-life. Lid-
dell and Scott, in their lexicon, give the meaning as follows:
“Psuchee, breath; Latin, anima—life—spirit. It leaves the
body with the blood. Periphr. for the man himself. The life
of animals,” &c.

Zoee refers generally, in the New Testament, to the spirit-
ual life, either in this age, or after the resurrection. Liddell
and Scott give, zoee, a living, i. ¢., means of life; life opposed
to death. It sometimes, at least, as in the definition, “means
of life,’ seems to indicate an inherent or independent life
power; thus opposed to psuchee, which is dependent on the
breath.

In the New Testament, we find eternal, or everlasting, life
(zoee) over forty times. Also, endless life; resurrection of
life; word of life; book of life; water of life; crown of life,
&c. Also, our Lord is called the Prince of Life; Author of
Life; Bread of Life, etc.—All from zoee. Psuchee is never
found in any such connection.

In reference to psuchee, and its corresponding Hebrew
word, nephesh, an able critic remarks: “Perhaps it may be
worthy of notice, that in all the seven hundred times in which
nephesh occurs, and the one hundred and five times of psuchee,
not once is the word immortal, or deathless, or never-dying,
found in connection, as qualifying the terms.”

We will quote as samples the occurrences of psuchee,
wherever translated life in Matthew: “They are dead who
sought the child’s life;’ “Take not thought for your life,
what ye shall eat;” “He that finds his life shall lose it, and
he that loses his life for my sake, shall find it;” “For whoever
will save his life, shall lose it; and whoever may lose his life
for my sake, shall find it.”

These last two passages are made still clearer by John xil.
25, where, apparently, the complete remark of Christ is given,
and psuchee and zoee are brought into direct contrast: “He
that loves his life [psuchee] shall lose it; and he that hates
his life [psuchee] in this world, shall keep it unto life [zoee]
eternal.”

We reserve last occurrence of life—from psuchee—in Mat-
thew, for the present.

We are never taught to hate the zoee, but the psuchee is to
be held in comparatively low estimation. For instance: “Tf
anyone comes to me and hates not his father, .... and even
his own life” [psuchee}], etc. Barnabas and Paul were called
“men who have hazarded their lives for the name of Jesus.”
Paul said, “Neither do I count my life dear to myself.” etc.
When Entychus fell from the third loft during Paul’s preach-
ing, and was taken up insensible, the Apostle said: “His life
[psuchee] is in him.” It is applied to beasts: “The third
part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life
[psuchee] died.”

We will look at a few passages in which zoee occurs.
“Straight is the gate, and narrow the way, which leads to
life [zoee].” “If thou desirest to enter into zoee keep the com-
mandments.” “He that believes on the Son has everlasting
zoee, and he that believes not the Son, shall not see z0ee.”
“Ye will not come to me, that ye may have zoee.” In John,
chapters 5 and 6, every occurrence of life is from zoee.

From Psuchee we obtain the adjective, Psuchikos; which
occurs six times in the New Testament, is twice translated
sensual, and four times natural, as follows:

“But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit
of God, for they are foolishness to him.” “It is sown a natural
body, it rises a spiritual body. If there is a natural body,
there is also a spiritual .... but the spiritual is not first,
but the natural [psuchikos] and afterward the spiritual.”

In perfect harmony with this last scripture we find in re-
lation to the two Adams, the corresponding heads of the nat-
ural and spiritual planes: “The first man Adam was made

a living psukeen [natural man]; the last Adam a life [zoee]
giving spirit.” We have probably quoted sufficient to render
clear the distinction between the two spirit inspired words.
let us now look at their force and bearing on the question of
the atonement, which has been agitating our people lately.

It has been asserted that the life which Christ laid down
for the world was not the natural, but that which he had with
the Father; which—spiritual life—he laid down at his incar-
nation and took up at his resurrection, wresting John vi. 65.
“The flesh profits nothing,” from its true position, the sacri
ficial death of Christ has been degraded, and the blood of the
covenant counted an unholy [Greek koinon, common] thing.

The original Greek settles the question of the kind of life.
clearly and unmistakably. While it is continually taught that
in Christ we have zoee, even zoee everlasting, it nowhere says
that he laid down his zoee for us. On the contrary it plainly
and invariably states that the life he gave was the psuchee
[natural, or blood life.] We will quote a few texts. “The
Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but minister, and to
give his life [psuchee}] a ransom for many.” (Matt. xx. 28,
Mark x. 45. “The good Shepherd lays down his psuchee for
the sheep.” (John x. 11.) This declaration is stronger when
we notice that in the verse previous Christ says, “I came that
they may have zoee,“ etc. Following, he reiterates “I lay
down my psuchee for the sheep..... For this my Father
loves me, because I lay down my life that I may receiye [a]
it again, no one forces [b] it from me, but I lay it down of
myself. I have authority [c] to lay it down, and I have
authority to receive it again. This commandment I received
from my Father.” Although Christ here speaks of receiving
it again, it does not of necessity mean that when he rose from
the dead he took again the blood life. Simply, he had author-
ity, or an arrangement with the Father to live again. The
nature of his resurrection life we learn from other scriptures.
The passage in this respect is similar to John xii. 25. “life
that hates his psuchee in this world, shall keep it unto coce
eternal,” when mortality shall be swallowed up by zoce.

We have a strong contrast in the following. “We know
that we have passed out of death into zoee, because we love
the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death
[during the enjoyment of the blood life (psukee) mankind
are under the dominion of death.] ....In this we know
love, that he laid down his psuchee for us; and we ought to
lay down our lives [psukas] for the brethren.” “Greater
love hath no one than this, that one lay down his psuchee for
his friends.” No one is ever supposed to lay down the voce.

What each of his lives (psuchee and zoee) does for us we
have in Rom. v. 10. “For if being enemies, we were reconciled
to God through the death of his Son, [the laying down of the
blood life or psuchee] much more, being reconciled, shall we be
saved [by the impartation of his spiritual nature, and the
benefits that follow] by his zoee.” As to the origin of this
higher life, and how it comes to us we have John y. 26, ‘As
the Father has zoee in himself, so he gave also to the Son to
have zoee in himself.” “For this is the will of my Father.
that every one who sees the Son, and believes on him, inay
have everlasting zoee” etc. By the arrangement above noted.
Jesus our Lord has become “Author of zoee,” “Prince of zoee,”
“Bread of zoee,” and mark it, “The resurrection and the zoec.”
The Resurrection to all, the Zoee to believers. “Marvel not at
this; for an hour is coming in which all that are in the graves
shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that did good,
to the resurrection of life [zoee,] and they that did evil, to
the resuirection of judgment.”—Am. Bible Union Version.
“These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the
Christ [anointed], the Son of God, and that believing ye may
have zoee in his name.”

a.—Greek, Lambano. The original signification of the word is two-
fold; one to take, the other to recetve; (1) to take, grasp, seize, to gain,
win, etc.; (Il) to have given one, receive, get, etc.

b.—Greek, Aireo, to take, grasp, seize, conquer, overpower, etc.

c.—Greek, Exousia, power, authority to do a thing, permission, re-

sources, etc.
W. I. M.

Remarks by the Editor. This is very satisfactory and we think should
and will, end controversy as to what life Jesus gave for our ransom
from death. Our natural life (psuchee) is forfeited. Our Lord became
our substitute and gave his psuchee for ours and then as a gift offers
believers his Zoee eternal. ‘

[The foregoing conclusions are immature, as will be apparent to any
one who has read Volume V, Studies in the Scriptures.]

[53]

i rr i

PITTSBURGH, PA., DECEMBER, 1879

No. 6

THE ANTICHRIST

2 THES, 11.*

B.—Good evening, Brother A., I have wanted for some time
to inquire your views of the “Man of Sin’—“The Antichrist.”
\Who is he, what is he, and when will he come; or has he
already come?

A.—I shall enjoy a conversation with you on this subject;
it is one deserving of careful thought and is mentioned by
Jesus himself, as well as by his apostles and prophets. I pre-
sume I need not make mention of the various theories held by
Bible students on the subject. Many believe that Jerusalem
and the temple will be rebuilt soon, and that some literal man
will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God,
or that is worshipped, so that he, as God, will sit in the temple
of God showing himself that he is God. (2 Thes. ii:4.) He
is expected to be able to perform “signs and lying wonders” —
to deceive all the world into the idea that HE is God, and to
have them give homage and worship to him.

There are various conjectures as to who may be this “Man
of Sin.” It has been claimed for Napoleon Bonaparte and each
of his successors to the title to the throne of France, and now
for Prince Jerome Bonaparte. Others quite recently have
given up expecting so much of a development of power from
a broken down dynasty, and claim, with positiveness, that it
is the present Pope.

B.—It would be a very remarkable thing to have occur in
this nineteenth century. It might have been possible in some
heathen land, hundreds of years ago, but I could not make
myself believe that such things are even possible now. No,
the tendency of the press and of science is to ignore God alto-
gether, and in the face of the wonderful evidences of His cre-
ative power and might, to deny entirely the Lord, in whose
praise “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
-howeth knowledge.” Ps. xix:2.

A.—lI fully agree with you. It should be much easier to
turn the world to Atheism than to Idolatry. This is one
reaaon why I could not look for a personal “Man of Sin.” and
tad always exhorted the church to look and wait for “The day
of the Lord.” Yet here (2 Thes. ii) he tells them, “That day shall
not come except there come a falling away first, and that Man
of Sin be revealed.” As I believe the word to teach that we
are now living in “the day of the Lord,” you see it is both nat-
ural and eonaistent in me to look back for the “Man of Sin,”
and to expert to be able to recognize him, for Paul says he
must be revealed, or his real character shown and seen before
the “day of the Lord.” He referred to a false system which
would develop in the ehurch. As one error after another crept
into the church, they gradually brought about the “falling
away.” The church fell from her position of trust in, and sup-
port on the promises «of her absent Lord, and began to love
the world and the things of the world.

The narrow path was tem steep and rough; she coveted the
world’s ease and abundance, and the more bold element formed
the plan of so arranging the euastoms and laws that the
world’s affections were capture}, and instead of persecuting,
the Roman Empire embraced the church and seated her in
power. Doubtless she thought to nse the power and influence
of her new friend—Rome—to the honor of the Lord to whom
she was betrothed, but soon she began to “glorify herself and
to live deliciously with the kings of the earth,” and “her sins
reached unto heaven.” Rev. xvili:5-7,

B. You speak of it as the woman, &c.; if this in the same
referred to by Paul, why does he call it “The Man of Sin?”

A. It requires two to make one, as Adam and we |eeame
one and “God called their name Adam.” And aa Jeana and his
bride are to become one and together be known asa The Christ
(anointed)— the one seed—so with this case: The viryin of
Christ became united to the World. They twain became one—
“The Man of Sin.” Since she pretended to be the true bride
and heir with Jesus to the throne of kingdoms, so when united
to the world, she claimed the union to be valid and lawful.
that she sat a queen. She ruled over the empire of earth.
claiming the various titles and honors due to the true Lord
and his bride. And that system—Papacy—being a falsificr
which sought to take the honor of the true anointed, is em-
phatically the opponent of the true Christ, or, as the name
signifies, Antichrist.

But, can we say the Papacy denies God or Christ? Is
the language, “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all
that is called God or that is worshipped,” applicable to that
system?

A. Yes; as Paul said of some: “They profess that they
know God, but in works they deny him.” I refer to the Papal

* [See revision of this article published in issue of December, 1881.]

system; not to individual Roman Catholics.

If you are not
familiar with

THE CLAIMS OF PAPACY

you cannot so well understand how it exalts itself, and op-
poses God. Papacy claims that its representative, the Pope, is
“king of kings and lord of lords,”—-‘The Prince of the kings
of the earth.” As Christ’s vice-gerent, he is the Pa-pa
—Pope—Father, %. ¢., “The Everlasting Father,” “The Prince
of Peace,” “The Mighty God.” All of these, and every other
title announced by the prophets, is considered as proper and
applicable to the Pope, since he is Christ’s vicar, or instead of
Christ. Did the prophets declare the reign of Christ for a
thousand years over the nations, and that he should reign until
he should put all enemies under him? Papacy claims that
when exalted to power, it did put down all enemies, and that
for a thousand years it did reign over the kings of the earth.
(Generally dated, I believe, from A. D. 792 to 1792.) And
they claim that the millennial reign of Christ and his saints,
of Rev. xx, took place, is now in the past, and that the period
since the overthrow of Papacy’s dominion (1798) is the “little
season,” mentioned in vs. 3, 7 and 8, during which the “devil
is loosed.” (Protestanism and all infidelity to the church.)
During her reign over the earth’s kings, she did “Rule with a
rod of iron,” and claimed Divine authority, and that it was
the fulfilment of Psa. ii:6-12. Read it. To vs. 10-12 were
given emphasis, especially “Kiss the Son.” Actually the kings
of the earth did kneel down before the Pope, kiss his great toe,
receive his blessing and their crowns from his hands. (Some-
times the crown was placed by the Pope’s feet upon king’s
heads.) And for centuries no king reigned in Europe without
this blessing and appointment of the Pope. To offend or dis-
obey was to forfeit their titles and thrones. Thus, by claiming
God’s honor, Papacy exalted itself and opposed the true God.
To illustrate the claims of Papacy let me quote a few of its
“great swelling words.”—Pope Martin: ‘The greatness of
priesthood began in Melchisedec, was solemnized in Aaron,
continued in the children of Aaron, perfectionated in Christ,
represented in Peter, exalted in the universal jurisdiction, and
manifested in the Pope. So that, through this pre-eminence
of my priesthood, having all things subject to me, it may seem
well verified in me, that was spoken of Christ, ‘Thou hast sub-
dued all things under his feet.’ ... J am all in all and above
all, so that God himself, and I, the vicar of God, have both one
consistory .... Wherefore, if those things that I do be said
not to be done of man but of God: WHAT CAN YOU MAKE OF ME
But Gop? Again, if the prelates of the church be called and
counted of Constantine for Gods, I then, being above all prel-
ates, seem by this reason to be ABOVE ALL Gops. Wherefore,
no marvel if it be in my power to change time and times, to
alter and abrogate laws, to dispense with all things, yea, with
the precepts of Christ.” Pope Gregory II. boasted that: “All
the kings of the west reverence the Pope as a God on earth.”
An oft accepted title was, “Our Lord God the Pope.” At the
Lateran Council the Pope was addressed: “Thou art another
god on earth.”

B. It would appear that in olden times the Popes had
made great pretensions.

A. Yes, brother; and you will remember that the late Pius
IX promulgated the dogma of his own Infallibility. And the
present Pope, Leo XIII claims to be “The Lion of the tribe of
Judah.” This, like other titles belonging to the true Christ,
is claimed by the Anti-Christ, as you will see by this extract
from the Pittsburg Dispatch of June 14, 1879: “A rich Ameri-
can now residing at Rome, desiring to possess the bust of Leo
XITI, engaged the services of the celebrated sculptor, Tadolini.
The latter, not content with the simple portrait of the Holy
Father, went to the Vatican and asked permission of Leo XIII
to reproduce his features from the original. The Pope con-
sented. When the work was finished Leo congratulated the
artist, who asked him to trace a word on the still fresh clay.
His Holiness took the burin from the sculptor, and wrote with
a smile, ‘Leo de tribu juda.’” [The Lion of the tribe of
Judah.”]

Bb. It does seem very clear when so put together; but how
about the remainder of the verse—‘Who sitteth in the temple
of God, showing himself that he is God”? How could Papacy
fulfill this? The temple at Jerusalem had been destroyed
hundreds of years before Papacy’s rule.

A. The temple of God is the dwelling or abode of God.
Once he dwelt in the Jewish temple, but at the death of Jesus
the vail of the temple was rent in twain and the glory of the
Lord departed, and from that time it ceased to be, really, the

(1) [54]

DeEcEMBER, 1879

temple of God. For fifty days there was no temple on earth; but
“When Pentecost was fully come,” the Lord descended by his
spirit, and his glory and presence filled his New Temple, the Gos-
pel church. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?’ (1 Cor.
iii:16; Eph. ii:21, 22.) There has been no other temple since,
and there never will be another, for this one is an everlasting
habitation. Any building which men may put up at Jerusalem
might be called a temple, but it would not be THE temple of
God. The Man of Sin,”—-Papacy—did take his seat in God’s
church (temple), and used in a blasphemous manner the titles
and honors of the “King of Kings.” Paul tells us that the
errors which led to this falling away from the truth had begun
to operate in the church even in his day. It increased more
rapidly when the church’s “candlestick” was removed,—the
special gifts of the Spirit in healing, discerning of spirits, etc.,
ceased. These let, or hindered the more rapid development of
error in the apostolic days. (Another hindrance was the pagan
empire, and not until its decline could Papacy be exalted.)

B. It does seem to be a wonderful counterfeit of the true
kingdom of God, and I see some force in the Spirit’s calling
it (vs. ll) strong delusion that they should believe a lie.

A. We find a clearly drawn

PICTURE OF THE COUNTERFEIT OF GOD’S KINGDOM
(Rev. xii.)

B. This chapter is quite peculiar, and is generally thought
to be a picture of the establishment of the true kingdom. How-
ever, this view involves a contradiction.

A. It does, and for this reason it has been considered one
of the most difficult chapters of this difficult book. Let us
examine carefully:

“The woman, clothed with the sun,” is the Gospel church,
covered with the precious promises of God and the glorious
light of truth. The moon is the reflection of the sun’s bright-
ness, so the Law or Jewish age was a shadow of the Gospel.
It was light, but not the real, only reflected light. The woman
had the moon under her feet. She had reached a higher plane,
and yet she rested upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, the diadem of twelve stars representing the apostles.
(V. 3). The Roman Empire had seven heads (Rome’s seven
successive and distinct forms of government), and ten horns
(divisions of power). “The red dragon,” Pagan Rome, perse-
cuted the church. “His tail drew the third part of the stars
of heaven and did cast them to the earth.” “Stars of heaven,”
—the bright ones or ministers and teachers in the church. The
dragon’s tail draws them, 1. e., these become followers of Pagan
Rome in hopes of having favor with the empire and escaping
persecution. As a result, they lose their position as stars in
the true church, and are “cast to the earth.” Persecuted and
reviled, she was pained to be delivered, and longed for the
completion of the promised “Seed of the woman which should
bruise the serpent’s head.” Her anxiety and desire in this di-
rection produced a pre-mature birth—‘The Man of Sin” (the
papal hierarchy) being the offspring. This “male child,” at
first a weak one (A. D. 314), was gradually “caught up unto
God and to his throne,” or exalted to the position and titles,
homage and praise of the true “seed.” so that “He as God sat
in the temple [church] of God, showing himself that he is
God.” And within three hundred years he did “rule the
nations with a rod of iron.”

Vs. 7: “And there was war in heaven;’’—1. e., there was
a conflict or controversy between the two elements—the church
and the empire—when this son of the church attempted to
take the ruling position. (This conflict and casting down con-
tinued for several hundred years, or until about A. D. 752,

when—the pontificate of Zachary, the Roman _ court
decided that no Metropolitan could enter upon his
functions without the approval of the _ pontiff.” “In

the same vear, Pepin asked the sanction of the Pope to
ascend the throne of France.”’) “Michael and his angels’”—the
Papacy and its supporters—fought against the dragon—pagan
rulers, etc..—and the great dragon was cast out of heaven.
This conflict between papal and pagan power resulted, as we
have seen, in the overthrow of the latter.

B. But does it not seem a forced construction to suppose
Michael to symbolize the “Man of Sin?” Is not this the same
Michael referred to in Dan. xii? If it is a symbol in one case,
is it not in the other?

A. No; the account in Dan. xii is a literal statement.
The resurrection and other matters there mentioned are literal
but not so Rev. xii. The woman, dragon, tail, stars, horns,
etc., are all symbols, and it would be out of order to have a
real Michael fight a symbolic dragon. However, it seemed puz-
zling at first to know why this name should be given to
Antichrist, but on turning to a dictionary we find that the
meaning of the word Michael is—‘Who as God.” It is quite
remarkable that the meaning should be in such close accord

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(2-7)

with Paul’s description, “He as God sitteth in the temple of
God,” etc. When the dragon was cast out of heaven (out of
the ruling position) it left this one (““‘Who as God,”) in con-
trol, or in the heavens, and from him issues the “loud voice”
(great proclamation) of verses 10, 11 and 12; that is, Papacy
claimed that when it assumed contro] “the kingdom of God
and the power of his anointed,” had come to the world. They
claimed that they had overcome by the blood of the Lamb,
their lives and testimonies. “Therefore, rejoice ye heavens.
(Let Papacy and all connected therewith rejoice.) “Woe tothe
inhabitants of the earth,” ete. As the church had once been
persecuted when Paganism reigned, so now when she reigns she
makes the pagans and heretics suffer. This, Papacy claims as
the Millennium, during which it broke in pieces the kingdoms
with the rod of iron.

B. But it is the dragon that causes the woe, not the
church.

A. Remember that the dragon represents Rome, and that
the same dragon has various heads. (See Rev. xvii.) Here it
had fully taken on its fifth head—Papacy. It was the same
Rome under a new ruler, or head, and the same power which
had previously persecuted the church. The empire and itx
army under the new ruler persecuted pagans and heretics.
Remember, therefore, that hereafter the dragon represents the
empire or military power, under the control of its ecclesiastical
head. This military power must be made use of by its new
head, and its force was directed against the woman and against
“the remnant of her seed [not of the apostasy], which keep the
commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus.” [“‘The
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”] These, Wal-
denses, &c., doubtless knew from the prophetic word, not only
that the “same Jesus” would come again “to be glorified in his
saints,” but also that there should “first come a great falling
away,” and “That Man of Sin be revealed—the son of perdi-
tion,”—before the day of the Lord.

Vs. 14.—To the woman were given two wings of a great
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness [lit., the place
deserted] into her place. The two wings are probably the
“two witnesses”—the Word, which now showed the true church
from which Papacy had sprung, her true condition—on earth
instead of, as at first, above the earth, with the moon under
her feet.

These two witnesses assist her, not only to mount upward
again, but to return to “the place deserted,” 7. €., to a condi-
tion of harmony with God, not with the world. She was nour-
ished in this wilderness 1,260 years, or three and a half times,
(from A. D. 538 to A. D. 1798.)

Vs. 15.—“The dragon (Empire) cast a flood of waters
(people—army) after the woman to destroy her, but the earth
helped the woman,” &c. The army was largely made use of
in punishing dissenters. and had it not been that frequent
trouble from other sources otherwise occupied it, the army
might have exterminated the true church.

Now, Brother B., can you see the “Man of Sin?” Has he
been revealed ?

. Yes, yes! It seems very clear and plain. Now, how
about his final end?

A. Paul says: “Whom the Lord shall consume with the
spirit of his mouth.” To consume is to waste gradually. The
spirit of his mouth is his Word. This consuming of Papacy has
progressed for about three hundred years, or since God’s Word
began to be published, (A. D. 1526) and particularly since
1801, when it, “the two witnesses,” was exalted to heaven, or
when it came to be reverenced.

Papacy has ever realized that “the Word” would be its
destroyer, and has sought in every way to keep it from the
people, and would today, as in past ages, burn every Bible if
it could.

B.—Thank God for His Word! How we should prize it!
It is the light which dispels errors and scatters the powers of
darkness. Yet I often think that many of its strongest advo-
cates are neglecters or careless readers of it. Would that all
might remember that “it is the pewer of God unto salvation.”
and that in neglecting it they neglect him. Mark 8:38.

A.—Your remarks are good. I have noticed of late that
while the nominal Christian professor becomes the more skep-
tical, the more matured and most earnest children of God are
searching as they never did before.

B.—Paul speaks of a destruction of Antichrist as well as
of his consuming: “Whom the Lord shall destroy with the
brightness of his coming.” Will this be when Christ is seen in
glory in the sky?

A.—The words you quote would be more literally rendered:
“Whom the Lord will make powerless by the appearing [mani-
festing] of his presence.” Papacy has been losing its power
gradually (the “Roman Inquisition,” the last of its kind.

[55]

(3) ZION’S WATCH TOWER

being abolished in 1870). This, too, is in harmony with our
understanding of Christ’s presence: that he is now present,
separating. purifying and gathering the wheat; and when this
is accomplished, we (if gathered) “shall appear with him.”

PittspurcH, Pa.

Oh, glorious hope! Let us “so run that we may obtain,” really
overcoming the real dragon by the blood of the Lamb and the
word of his testimony, that we may have part with the real
anointed Jesus, in the real kingdom. Good-bye; call again.

A BEAUTIFUL ROBE

There is a robe I long to wear,

One which my neighbors all may share
A robe so perfect, pure and white,—
Its very folds reflect the light.

"Twill also fit each form and size,
Such wond’rous virtue in it lies;
Every deformity "twill hide,

And deck the wearer like a bride.

This robe cannot with gold be bought,
However much it may be sought;
Titles of earth, genius, or fame,

No share in it can ever claim.

But those who, counting all but dross,
Bow low, before the Saviour’s cross;
Believing he will hear their cry,

And on his promises rely.

Who claim no merit of their own,
Trusting in Jesus’ name alone;

This robe will cover, comfort, bless,
For ’tis Christ’s robe of Righteousness.

[SErecereD. By request. ]

THE BUILDING OF ZION

“When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.”—Psalm 102:16.

We have no doubt that Zion as used in Scripture is double,
aside from its heing the name of a literal mountain.

It represents “the city of the Lord” (Isa. lx. 14)—Jeru-
salem. But which? There are two Jerusalems: the old, and
the new: the earthly and the heavenly, and two nations or
churches corresponding—the Jewish and the Gospel. Some
apply the text wholly to the restoration of the earthly Jeru-
salem. and others apply it wholly to the success, in some
wav of the Gospel church: perhaps it is most commonly applied
to what is familiarly called a “revival of religion.” We believe
such prophecies apply primarily to the building up of the old
Jerusalem. by restoration, and in a higher sense, to the building
up of the New Jerusalem bv glorification, and that both will
he pecomplished in one and the same day, i. e., “the day of
wrath,” or the 37 vears on which we have entered, reaching to
A. J). 1914. We do not believe that a revival of religion fills
the prophetic picture in any proper sense. The New Testa-
ment clearly locates the appearing in glory after the resurrec-
tion of the saints, for, says Paul: “When Christ who is our
life shall appear we also shall appear with him im glory.”
Col. ni. 4. That it is associated with the Christian’s reward,
and not with his arork in this life is evident. because Peter
speaks of our trial when ended as being “found unto praise and
honor and glorv at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” 1 Pet. i. 7.

The “manifestation of the sons of God.” (Rom. viii. 12), the
appearing in glory. and the descent of the New Jerusalem,
may be the same great fact under different names. The same
glorious results are clearly foretold as coming from each.
When the New Jerusalem comes down “having the glory of the
Lord.” it is said: “The nations shall walk in the light of it;”
to its flowing river “whosoever will” is invited to come and
drink. and the leaves of its trees are “for the healing of the
nations.”’—Rev. xxi. 10. 11, 24 and xxii, 1, 2.

As a result of the “manifestation of the sons of God,” it
is said that “the creation itself also shall be delivered from the
hondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of
God.” (Rom. vili. 21.) Compare these results with what is
stated in the connection of our text as to the great benefits to
earth’s inhabitants. of the Lord’s appearing in glory, and two
things must. we think, be impressed on the reader’s mind:
first. that the three things mentioned above are one and the
same: second, that the appearing in glory is an event greatly
to he desired for the benefit of mankind. Certainly the mani-
festation. or descent. are not due until after the church is glo-
rified, hence the building up of Zion must precede the time
when a perfect theology will prevail among men on earth. It
is when the “Lord shall bring again Zion” that “the
watehmen shall see eve to eve.” Then. the veil being re-
moved, the knowledge of the Lord shall prevail, and “all the
ends of the earth shal] see the salvation of our God.” Isa. lil.
It is during a period of imperfect theology, when we know only
in port, that the stones of the heavenly building are selected
and hewn to fit their places; but when the temple is built and
filled with the glory of the Lord, “Then it will shine forth as
the sun, and the nations will be enlightened, and they shal]
turn to the Lord.” Ps. xxii. 27. Some object to the double
application of the term Zion, who are believers in the resto-
rotion of the earthly Jerusalem, and yet believe in the same
seneral results as to the world’s conversion in the dispensation
to come. Thev believe that the Jew restored will be God’s
agency in the great work. To this we agree, and with them

we would quote: “It shall come to pass in that day that ten
men shall] Jay hold of one that is a Jew and say, We will go
with you, for we have heard that the Lord is with you.”
That the earthly Jerusalem restored is to be capital of the
earthly nations, and center of earthly service, does not as we
see it, militate against the idea that the New Jerusalem in
glory, will be the power manifested through restored Jerusa-
lem. Satan’s invisible kingdom has acted largely through the
visible city and government of Rome, and by the same law of
correspondence the Roman Empire, the beast with seven heads
and ten horns, is “ealled the Devil and Satan.” Rev. xii. 3. 9.

In this sense we believe the restored Jerusalem will be
called the kingdom of God, but the real, the heavenly king-
dom will be as much higher than the earthly, as Christ is
higher than he was. The Jews restored will be natural men,
bearing the image of the earthly, and such can neither see
nor inherit the real kingdom of God.—John iii. 3, and 1 Cor.
xv. 44, 50.

That not only the earthly Jerusalem is called Zion, but also
the heavenly is evident, from Heb. xii. 18, 22: “Ye are not
come to the mount that might be touched .... but ye are
come to Mt. Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem.” <A literal mountain could be touched
and stands associated with literal or earthly things. The
earthly is but a symbol of the heavenly, which is therefore
called a mount which could not be touched. None we think
can object to the double application, who see that in God’s
plan nearlv everything is double; the two standing related to
each other as the natural and the spiritual.

There are two Adams, their two wives, and two families:
two births and two lives; two covenants, two laws, two sanc-
tuaries, two circumcisions, two temples, two seeds, two nations,
and two lands for inheritance. Abraham, to whom the promise
was made, saw through the earthly, and so looked for a “better
country. that is, an heavenly” (Heb. xi, 16), and so also he
looked for a “city whose builder and maker is God.” (Ver. 10.)
Man could build an earthly city, but not the heavenly.

To build up Zion implies a process, and so far as relates
to the earthly Jerusalem, includes the restoration of the Jew-
ish nation or Israel according to the flesh, in all its parts; and
we believe in its application to the Gospel church, the same
must be true. That from 1878 to 1914 is the last half of the
last trump, has often been shown, and also that this is the
period during which Jerusalem is to be restored. “The last, or
seventh trumpet covers the day of wrath, angry nations and
the time of reward for prophets, saints and them that fear
God’s name, small and great.” Rev. xi. 18. All Christians,
whatever their grade of development, are thus included. Some
occupy a position with Christ in his throne, as a reward of
their faithfulness, while many serve him before the throne.
But all are included in the heavenly city, and that city de-
scending in its completeness and glory, as the light of the
nations, is called the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. As the whole
Jewish church was the Bride in type, so the antitype includes
the whole Gospel church. This does not shut out the idea of
order and variety in the city of God, nor lessen the motive of
seeking by faithfulness a high position even a place in the
throne, but it does preserve the idea so clearly taught in the
New Testament, of the unity and _ indivisibility of
the one body of Christ. Some are to be counted
worthy to escape the tribulation, and like Aaron in the

(56)

DkcemBka, 1879

mount with Moses, execute the judgments written, while others
are left to pass through the fire, wash their robes, and come
up out of the great tribulation. But as the body would not
be complete without all its members, so the church or city of
God would be incomplete without its citizens, as servants
before the throne. “They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(3-4)

day when I make up my jewels.” Even them that think on his
name are dear in the sight of the Lord.

The day of this building is here and both the earthly and
heavenly will be built up. Then indeed the Lord in his temple
will peer in his glory, and the people which shall be cre-
ated shall praise the Lord. J. H. P.

A SEED THOUGHT

During harvest there is reaping, with separation of tares
from wheat. Then follows the gathering into the barn. After
a little time to season, comes the threshing; then the winnow-
ing. Next comes the grinding of the pure grain; followed in
due time by the kneading together of the fine flour. Finally
the oven does its work (well heated), and the bread is ready
for the hungry.

Jesus said: “The bread of God is that which comes down
out of heaven, and gives life to the world..... If any one
eat of this bread, he shall live forever; yea, and the bread that
1 will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the
world.”—John vi. 33, 51.

Paul said: “The cup of blessing for which we bless God—
is it not a participation of the blood of the Anointed One’
The loaf which we break—is it not a participation of the body
of the Anointed One? Because there is one loaf, we, the many,
are one body ; for we all partake of the one loaf.” 1 Cor. x. 16,
17-—Emphatic Diaglott. Notice context in verses 6, 11-13. Are
we not in the barn being threshed, with good prospect of a
winnowing? If so, the grinding of the purified should follow,
and a kneading together, perhaps mingled with oil, which the
heated oven will only better prepare for the Master’s use and
our future work. Ww.

. PS °

JOSEPH AND CHRIST

The history of Joseph the son of Jacob, as given in the
book of Genesis, is one of considerable interest. Taken just as
a true story of a life, there are but few like it. “Truth is
stranger than fiction;” and it is certain that many, both
young and old, have read this history with thrilling interest
and lasting profit. The exemplary conduct of Joseph is
worthy of admiration and imitation.

His relation to the history of God’s cause and people, in
their early stage of development, is important. As an example
of the over-ruling providence of God in the affairs of men and
nations, showing how man, seeking his own selfish ends, and to
a certain degree succeeding, may yet have his plans thwarted,
and the seeming evil turned to good account, the history of
Joseph is most remarkable. For many reasons his history has
been justly valued by many; but to us the most important
feature of his cause is its allegorical character. This feature
of Bible historv, though overlooked by many, and denied by
some, is becoming more and more apparent. The story itself,
though true, as we fully believe, sinks into comparative insig-
nificance when its spiritual import is seen. The greater eclipses
the less, and the spiritual is greater than the natural, but
while this is true, there can be no doubt that those who appre-
ciate the spiritual, value the letter, because of its deeper im-
port, even more than those who see only the letter; just as
men who expect to be changed from the natural to the spir-
itual bodv in due time, value the natural body because it ts
a stepning stone to the higher, more than do they who ignore
the spiritual, and who act on the epicurean principle: “Let
us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” We regard Joseph’s
history as representing in its general features the life of
and works of our Lord Jesus Christ. In a_ type
proper, as in the law, we would expect “every jot
and tittle’ of it to be fulfilled, but in an _ allegory
we look for a picture only on general principles. The
ease of Abraham’s two wives, and their sons, Isaac and Ish-
mael, which is declared to be “an allegory,” (Gal. iv.) will
illustrate. Every feature of their lives is not mentioned, but
there is a most remarkable correspondence between the facts
in their history, and the facts in relation to the two Jerusa-
lems, to which Paul makes the application. We do not intend
to make parallels, or to force into use any feature of Joseph’s
life, and say this and that must have a parallel; but using as
a basis what is revealed of Christ elsewhere, we find the par-
allels, and by these, as illustrations, confirm the truth. We
regard these correspondences as strong evidence that the same
mind that created the Gospel plan, superintended the lives of
the ones of whom the history is given, and inspired in his own
way the writers. The evidence seems all the stronger in view
of the fact that many features of this correspondence have not
long been seen. They have been hidden away as jewels in the
earth, to be uncovered for the encouragement of the faith of
the disciple in this hour of bold and defiant infidelity. “He
that hath ears to hear let him hear.” It seems as if no Chris-
tian could have any difficulty in tracing the many features of
our Saviour’s life and work in the life of Joseph, when their
attention Is called to them.

Joseph was the well beloved son of his father: “Israel
loved Joseph more than all his children.” Gen. xxxvii:3. For
this fact, his reproving of sin, and for his ambitious dreams of
coming glory. his brethren hated him. So Jesus, the “beloved
Son” of his Father, on account of his condemning their wick-
edness, and because of his royal claims, as one born to be their
king, was hated by his brethren—the Jews. The words are
almost identical. “Shalt thou indeed reign over us?” said

Joseph’s brethren, when he had told them of his dream of
their sheaves making obeisance to his sheaf. ‘We will not
have this man to reign over us; we have’ no
king but Crsar;” said Jesus’ brethren. In both cases
the malice became so intense that death was determined on.
They both went down into the pit, and were both delivered
from death. It is true Joseph did not actually die, but neither
did Isaac, who in another case prefigured Christ, and it is
said, “Abraham offered his son Isaac,” and also “received him
from the dead in figure.” The pit was a figure of the death
state into which Christ descended. Joseph was counted dead,
and his resurrection was thus in figure; but Christ’s death and
resurrection were both in fact.

The events do not all occur in the same order in both
eases; but both were severely tempted and yet resisted; both
occupied for a time the position of a servant, and were shame-
fully abused; both were favored of God in their sufferings and
their cause miraculously vindicated; both had a price set
upon them by their enemies in certain “pieces of silver;” and
both gained a glorious victory, being exalted to the “right
hand of power.” Pharaoh committed all power of his king-
dom into Joseph’s hand: “Thou shalt be over my house and
according unto thy word shail all my people be ruled: only in
the throne will I be greater than thou.” (Gen. xli:40.) He
was royally robed and enthroned, and before him went the cry.
“Bow the knee.”

What Pharaoh did thenceforward was done through Joseph,
and the only way to obtain the blessing of Egypt was by the
“way” or mediation of Joseph. So Christ was exalted to the
right hand of God; “sat down with the Father in his throne;”
had all power given unto him in heaven and earth; “that at
the name of Jesus every knee should bow;” and it is said of
him, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” “He is Lord
of all,” “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” and “no man
cometh unto the Father except by” him.

One grand feature of the work of Joseph is that of giving
the needed bread, and there was nowhere else to go; so it
clearly represents Christ’s work as Life-Giver. “I am the
bread of life”; “I am the truth”; “Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word of God.” “The words that I speak
unto you they are spirit and they are life.” Well may we sav
as did Peter: “To whom shall we go? thou hast the wards of
eternal life.” Oh, that all our readers might realize that we
are as fully dependent on the Lord Jesus for immortality anl
eternal life, as were the Egyptians dependent upon Joseph for
the support of the natural life! Eternal life only in Christ. i-
the essence of the Gospel. The first man did not have it. and
so did not lose it. He was natural: and the flesh was tried
and failed that the need of the Second Man might be appr:
ciated. Let us remember that in order to get the Bread w.
must apply for it as did the hunerv to Joseph. “He is the re-
warder of them that diligently seek him.” Oh, ve hunerys
ones, feed unon his precious truth and be tilled! We would
not overlook the realization of Joseph’s vouthful dreams. His
brethren that scorred him and cast him out had at last to
come to him for bread. and they gladly bowed before him. Le
whom thev rejected and counted ag dead became their bene-
factor and saviour. They looked on him whom they had
pierced (in ficure). and they mourned and were ashamed. but
he fed them and even excused them—“It was not you that sent
me hither. but God.” “Now, therefore, be not erieved nor
angry with vourselves that ye sold me hither: for God did
send me before vou to preserve life.’—Gen. xlv: 5-8.

Let God’s merey be praised!

[57]

(4-5)

When Christ left the Jewish house desolate it was not eter-
nally, but “until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is
he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” In the coming day
of restitution, the Lord says: “I will pour upon the house
of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of
grace and supplication (favor and prayer), and they shall
look upon me whom they have pierced, and shal] mourn.”
(Zech. xii:10.) Yes, they will mourn and be ashamed of
themselves. when in prayer before him they despised, even as
did Joseph’s brethren when they discovered their brother. But
it is the mourning of penitence, and not of despair; it is caused
by the spirit of favor which is shown them by the long lost
brother now restored. They find him exalted as a King and

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PrrrspurcH, Pa.

Life-Giver, and he cares for them. They give themselves to
him and he gives them a home and ali they need. Thus we see
that Joseph in many ways represents Christ, and confirms our
view of God’s plan of the ages.

Truly God is good, and “his mercy endureth forever.”
Well may we say, “How unsearchable are his judgments and
his ways past finding out.” What we cannot discover he can
uncover or reveal; and “thanks be to God for his unspeakable
gift,” and the glimpse he has given us of his plan and his love.
‘“‘We love him because he first loved us.” We love one another
because “he hath given us of his spirit.” “He that loveth not
knoweth not God, for God is love.”

J. H. P.

THE WEDDING GUESTS

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son.”—Matt. xxii. 2.

The Jews were first invited to the great feast, but they
made light of the matter, were more interested in the farms
and merchandise, and a remnant even persecuted and slew the
servants who carried the invitation; in consequence of all
which “he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers
and burned up their city.” (Ver. 7). Then the command
is given: “Go ye therefore into the highways and as many as
ye shall find bid to the marriage.” (Ver. 9) This seems clearly
to refer to the work of the Gospel among the Gentiles; and by
people gathered from among them “both bad and good, the
wedding was furnished with guests.” (Ver. 10.)

The parables of Jesus about the “kingdom of heaven,” seem
always to refer to the “church militant,” or to the living,
mortal phase of the church; as soon as a man dies he is no
longer represented in the parables, so the last part of the
movement represented by the parable would include only the
generation that are “alive and remain.” So the “harvest” of
the parable of tares and wheat (Matt. 13) relates to those
that “grow together until the harvest,” which “is the end of
the age.” (Vs. 30 and 39.) And in the parable of the virgins,
the going in to the marriage, refers to same act of the last
generation. (Matt. xxv.)

The idea of a wedding is often referred to by the Saviour,
but it is somewhat remarkable that in such parables the be-
lievers are represented in the attitude of guests, and not
as the bride. This fact has puzzled some, as Paul speaks of
the church as the “espoused” virgin or prospective bride; and
the Revelator speaks of the bride made ready as clothed with
“the righteousness of saints.” (Rev. xix:7, 8.) The bride is
therefore composed of saints, (holy ones) ; but why then should
the last generation be called guests? It is certain that the
‘““vedding garment” is spoken of as properly belonging to the
“guests” with which the wedding was furnished.

We suggest a solution, but as disciples we would gladly
receive light from others. (1.) We understand the bride is
the whole church, dead and living, raised and glorified. (2.)
That the marriage is the process of raising and glorifying the
church, or the process of making up his jewels. (Mal. i1i:17.)
The making up suggests a gradual and not an instantaneous
work; as also, “when the Lord shall build up Zion he shall
appear in his glory.” (Ps. cii:16.) This doubtless refers
primarily to the restoration of the earthly Jerusalem during
thirty-seven years, or from 1878 to 1914, which, according to
the prophetic arguments, is the last half of the sounding of
the seventh trumpet. But there are two Jerusalems—an
earthly and a heavenly; a mount that could be touched, and
a mount Zion that could not be touched. (Heb. xii:18, 22)
We believe these are related to each other; the one outward
and Jewish, the other inward and Christian; and that hoth are
to be built up during the same period, “the last trump.” Ac-
cording to the parables of the “two dispensations,” Christ was
due to enter or come into the office of king in the spring of

1878, the parallel of his riding into Jerusalem in fulfillment
of “behold thy king cometh;” and the same king who has the
power to restore the natural Jerusalem, has the power to
build up the spiritual Jerusalem; and it is declared that he
will reward the whole church—prophets, saints and them that
fear his name, small and great”— during the seventh trumpet.
(Rev. xi:18)—the same period in which it has often been
shown that the earthly Jerusalem will be restored.

(3.) To be in the light when this process is due is the
privilege of the living generation, and because of this they are
guests. They understand when he takes to himself his great
power. “When he had returned having received the kingdom
he then inspects the guests and rewards them.” (Luke xix.
15, 27.) It is evident that the inspection is a work done in
reference to the living, while they are yet mortal, for two rea-
sons, first, the reward follows the inspection, and second the
unfaithful was cast out.

The idea of being cast out of immortality seems absurd, as
the immortal “cannot die.” The case of the unfaithful servant
cast out seems the same as the one found among the guests
without a wedding garment, who shares the same fate. (Comp.
Luke xix. 26 and Matt. xxii. 13) From this it appears evident
that “going in to the wedding” is not the translation of the
living into immortality, but is coming into a position of ex-
pectation, which may be lost on account of lacking certain
qualifications, represented by the wedding garment.

The servants gather, but they are not infallible, they do
not know the heart, and the king sifts out those unfit for the
kingdom. This inspection and sifting out we again remark
is after the king comes, and yet before the “power over the
nations” is given.

The “dead in Christ” have no part in this light. and there-
fore are not guests, neither are they subjects of this inspection
or sifting—their case was decided before they fell asleep. Hence
Paul could say: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown.”
When the dead in Christ are raised they are immortal, and
when the living are changed they will be immortal too, both
alike sharing in the position of the glorified church—‘The
Bride, the Lamb’s wife.” If it be kept in mind that the living
are guests while mortal, by being in the light, there can be no
objection we think to our being guests now and yet in due time
constituting a part of the Bride, when we put on immortality.

After the king comes, and inspection is due, it should not
be surprising if the subject of the garment should be uppermost
in the minds of the guests; neither should we be surprised if
there is a sifting out instead of a gathering in. That many
have passed through a strange test during the past year is
known by them all, and the work goes on. Let none be in
haste however to judge his brethren, the Lord is judge, and
he will decide who is or is not possessed of the wedding gar-
ment. In another article we may consider this ee .

OUR JUDGMENT DAY

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin

at us, what....

In the popular mind the dav of judgment is after the end
of the Gospel dispensation. As regards the world, so it is;
but as regards the church, as quoted above, it is now, in the
present time, and has been all through the dispensation.

Of the Christian who has seen God’s truth clearly, we may
say, in the words of another, written many years ago, “He is
now on trial, as the investigating judgment is in actual ses-
sion at this moment, and every individual [Christian] during
his life is on trial before God, the righteous “Judge of all
the earth’; and each one is, day by day, not only at the
bar of the investigating judgment, but is himself the wit-
ness, for or against himself and is every hour giving testi-

”? 1 Pet., iv:17.

mony on which the judge decides the case. Solemn thought!
And here let it be remembered that “God will bring every
work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be
good or whether it be evil.’ How solemn the considera-
tion that each one of us is, every hour, testifying before Je-
hovah’s court for or against ourselves! Every word we utter is
a part of our testimony; every act of our lives is but our own
testimony in our own case; every temper of mind indulged or
cultivated goes to make up the chain of testimony, and all
our motives in life are so many links in the chain. What a
life we are then living! Always in court—always on trial—
always giving evidence by which the Judge is to decide.”

[58]

DecEMBER, 1879

What an awful thought! Thank God we are not standing
in the filth and rags of our own righteousness under the
searching gaze of the All-seeing One. We have a friend at
court who has thrown his own royal mantle over us. We have
an Advocate, too—an Intercessor at the throne of justice. Be-
sides all this, the Judge himself is “Our Father;” and “as a

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

(5-6)

father has compassion on his children, Jehovah has compassion
on them that fear him.”

“For he knows our frame:
He remembers that we are dust.”

W. I. M.

OPPOSITION

Is it right to oppose what we believe to be error? We think
it is our duty to guard the flock against heresies, as truly as it
is ours in any degree to “feed the flock” with “meat in due
season.” Christ warned his followers to “Beware of the leaven
[doctrines] of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” And the
Apostles are found not only teaching the truth, but warning
against the entrance of error. “Shun profane and vain bab-
blings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And
their word will eat as doth a canker, of whom is Hymeneus and
Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the
resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some.”
(2 Tim. ii:16-18) What is true of one error is true of another,
and it is the duty of teachers to defend as well as to teach,—
Defend the hearers by defending the truth. The inspired Word
“ig profitable for doctrine” (teaching) not only, but also for
reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. It
is clearly taught in the Word that God has set watchmen on
the Watch Tower, who are made responsible to the people to
warn them against the approach of danger, and if the watch-
men fail to do their duty the people’s blood is required at the
watchman’s hand.

It is a pleasant duty to preach the Gospel, and also to
present to the household of faith the many beautiful truths

concerning the plan of salvation which we may have learned.
but it is not so pleasant to defend the truth against errors. If
the first elements of the Gospel introduced at the beginning of
the age, have served so good a purpose during nearly two thou-
sand years, it seems as if the abundant light of Millennial
dawn might serve, at least in part, for the age coming on. But
we still are on the watch for more, and will gladlv accept
light through old channels or through new ones. if our Father
sends it to us. But we cannot accept as true whatever is pre-
sented by others regardless of our own judgment of what the
word teaches, “Prove all things and hold fast to that which is
good,” is an inspired statement of both duty and privilege. It
is our duty to learn truth, but it is also our duty to reject error.

Our object is two-fold—to learn and to teach. We believe
God has called us to both. If in our effort to teach we find it
necessary to oppose the teachings of others, we purpose with
the Lord’s help to do so. Sometimes in anziety to get things
new and startling, there is danger. And when our faith in
its “first principles” is assailed, we find it necessary to de-
fend it.

The doctrines of Atonement and Resurrection, as we teach
them, we regard as fundamental elements of the Gospel and
of these we stand in defense. J. H,

“THE DESIRE, OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME”
Gq. ii. 7

In the interpretation of prophecy, it is important that we
should recognize the perspective principle on which it is based.

Several trees in the distance, in the same direction, appear
near to each other, though quite a distance apart. The space
between them becomes apparent only as you approach them.
The eve of the prophet is permitted to see future events on
the same principle, and though events may be centuries, or even
Millenniums, apart, unless there are prophetic periods given
to locate them, it is impossible for us to determine how far
apart they will be in fulfillment.

Isa. ix. 6, 7, relating to the birth, development, reign and
final triumph of our Lord, is a clear case of the perspective.
Though written nearly eight centuries before the birth of
Christ, the present tense is used: “Unto us a child is born,”
&e., and though the fulfillment requires ages, the prophecy is
but a few words, without even a hint of the long time re-

uired.

; Another case in point, is the prophecy of the work of Mes-
siah. (Isa. Ixi. 1, 3.) This work among other things both
before and after is: “To proclaim the acceptable year of the
Lord—and the day of vengeance of our God.” Christ him-
self “rightly divided” this scripture, not reading the latter
part, because it was not yet due, and of what he read, added:
“This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”—Luke iv.
21.

The day of vengeance was an age in the future when he
spoke.

, The coming of Christ is on the same principle foretold as if
it were a single event. The phrases “first advent” and “sec-
ond advent” are not Scriptural. And though we do not object
to their use, and will use them by way of accommodation, we
nevertheless believe that the impression made is often antt-
scriptural. Our aim is to remove misapprehensions as far as
possible. We believe that the coming of Christ is properly
one great and comprehensive manifestation; but that the pro-
cess includes several lesser comings or manifestations as parts
or stages of the whole. This fact was made the stone of
stumbling to the Jew, and it probably will prove to be such
to many Christians.

That the prophecies of Christ’s glory and kingdom were not
fulfilled when he came in the flesh, is true, and as that was
what the Jew had in mind, he failed to see the sufferings of
Christ (Isa. liii), and so he was rejected by them. It seems
strange that any now should claim that in his incarnation and
humiliation he came as “the Desire of all nations,” in face
of the fact that he did not come to any but one nation.

The limited commission: “Go not in the way of the Gen-
tiles,” found its sanction in Christ’s own words: “For I am not
sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Will anv
one in the face of this say he came then to all nations? The

first thing Christ did for the world was to die for them and
that not until he had given up the nation to whom he was
sent. He was not desired even by that nation. He was “as a
root out of dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and
when we shall see him, no beauty that wre should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men,” etc. No clearer pen pic-
ture could have been given, than Isa. liii, of the estimate his
nation placed on him and the manner in which they treated
him. “He came unto his own and his own received him not.”
“The foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the
Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.” “We will not
have this man to rule over us.” “We have no king but
Cesar.” “Away with him; crucify him.” These and many
other facts prove conclusively that Christ in the flesh was not
the Desire of any nation.

It is evident that the shaking of the nations and the over-
throw of kingdoms referred to in our text and context are to
precede his coming as the Desire of all nations. Therefore
Paul’s reference to the language and his location of it in the
future in his day (Heb. xii:26-7), confirm our conclusion that
this scripture was not fulfilled at what we familiarly call “the
first advent.” Then will it be fulfilled when he appears the
“second time?” Perhaps nearly all would answer, “Certainly.”’
But we are compelled to think differently. Heb. ix:29, is,
we believe, the only place in the Bible where the word second
occurs in connection with Christ’s coming. And certainly
nothing in this makes it impossible that other comings should
follow. Mark, we do not affirm that what is here called the
second is not elsewhere referred to, but that when the comin
is referred to, it does not always refer to the second. We wish
to be distinctly understood as claiming that some of the
prophecies of Christ’s coming will be fulfilled after he has
appeared the second time.

Our question is. Is he the Desire of all nations at the
second appearing? If not, there will be another coming? For
God’s word will be fulfilled. Paul’s statement is: “Z'o them
that look for him will he appear the second time.” Do the
nations look for him? Do they desire him? No. Not even the
professed church desire his coming. They say they love him,
but do not want him to come “in our day.” They say they
care not if he comes not for “ten thousand vears.” or even
if he nerer comes, for they expect to dic and go to him: but
they DO NOT WANT To Go! God has given us the love of life.
and the instincts of men are often better than their theology.
Brethren, you ought to know that you can not be with him till

he comes. He said, “I will come again and receire vou to
myself.” At his coming the dead in Christ rise and the living

are changed and caught away to mcet the Lord in the air. and
so shall we ever be with the Lord. Comforting words! (1 Thess.
iv: 13-18.) These are doubtless in reference to his second

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(5-7)

coming. because it is to them that look for him. There is a
company who want him to come. The little flock, the chaste
virgin espoused, want to see the Bridegroom. They love his
appearing. and Paul says that all such, as well as himself, will
receive a crown of righteousness in that day. (2 Tim. iv:8.)
There is no promise that he will come to them that do not
look for, or who do not love his appearing. And there is no
promise that any mortal eye will see him at his second coming.
Those to whom he then appears are to be changed, made like
him. and shall see him as he is.

“Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see
him.” is a sample of passages often quoted against our posi-
tion. But this is one of the evidences of our position. The
nature of events prove that the “coming with clouds” is not
the sceond coming. He will come in all his glory, and in his
kingdom, but not until after the saints are with him. When
he thus appears to the world, to men in the flesh, to “every
eve,’ the saints are with him. This is represented by a beau-
tiful picture of the grand manifestation on the mount of trans-
figuration. Moses and Elias appear with him in glory,
Brethren, do not confound this grand event with a previous
one of his coming to raise the dead. Three comes after two,
just as certainly as two comes after one. The same truth is
stated by Paul. ‘When he shall appear we also shall appear
with him in glory.” What is true of the Head is true of the
Body. It is called “the manifestation of the sons of God.”

The church’s hope is the “redemption of our body” (verse
23) and is reached at the second appearing; but the world’s
hope is in the “manifestation of the Sons,”—the Head and
Body complete,—the promised “Seed” whose work it is to crush
the Serpent and bless all nations.

God made the creature subject to vanity but in hope. (Ver.
20.) And it is declared that the groaning creation “itself also
(as well as the church who had the first fruits of the spirit)
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God.”—Ver. 21.

It is claimed by some that this manifestation is but a
later stage of the “second advent” than his coming for his
saints. To this idea we would not object so much, for the order
of events, being admitted, would prevent the blinding effect
of the popular view of expecting him to come from them and
come with them and do a dozen other things “in a moment,” as
it were, and withovt any order. But we are convinced that
as his coming in the flesh was to the fleshly house of Israel,
and only those knew it who were in the light, so his second
coming is to the church, “to them that look for him,” and the
world will know nothing about it until it is past. That the
second advent has its different stages and covers a considerable
period of time, as well as the first advent we fully believe.
Just as surely as the high priest’s coming out was a work of
time and had its staves so surely our High Priest will fulfill
them for not a jot or tittle can pass unfulfilled. The first step
in type was to leave the most holy, then he tarried in the holy
place to cleanse it before coming to the people, and when he

ZION’S WATCH TOWER

PirtssurGH, Pa.

had done all, it was to them that waited for him he came.
This too is the very subject under consideration by Paul when
he says: “As—and so... . to them that look for him will
he appear the second time.” His coming does not always refer
to coming from heaven, but is a manifestation, or it may be
taking or coming into a new position or relationship.

As a babe he came at his birth. He had come, but he had
not come fully, i. e. all the steps had not been taken. So
John preached “before his coming.” Acts xiii. 24. John says,
“There cometh one after me” and again “That he should be
made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with
water.” (John i. 31.) So Jesus was manifested as the Christ
i. e. the Anointed, by being anointed with water and that which
it represented—the holy Spirit.

He then entered on the harvest work, but not until three
and one-half years later did he fulfill the prophecy, “Behold
thy King cometh.” First the birth, then the anointing, and
last the manifestation as their King; but these were none of
them the coming from heaven. His return from heaven is a com-
ing, but every coming is not a return, at the second, any more
than at the first. That Christ will have come as a king—i. e.,
have entered upon the office of king—even before the living
church are translated, is evident from the parable of the King
inspecting the guests before the marriage. ‘And when he had
returned, having received the kingdom,” etc. (Luke xix:165.)
Then follow the inspection of all the servants and the reward
of the faithful. The president must be inaugurated in his of-
fice before he can properly appoint his cabinet. So Christ has
his official honor conferred before he can share it with others.
And be it remembered that his saints are in office as ruling
princes, before the kingdoms are cast down. The kingdom of
God is set up before the kingdoms of earth fall, for 2¢ shall
break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms. (Dan. 11:44.)
“This honor have all the saints.” (Ps. cxlix.) This over-
throw of the kingdoms by the strong hand of judgment, is
what will break the proud spirit of the nations: ‘For when his
judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will
learn righteousness.” (Isa. xxvi:9.) Together with these
judgments the everlasting gospel will be preached: “Fear God
and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come.”
Rev. xiv: ‘‘And all nations shall come and worship before thee,
for thy judgments are made manifest.”—Rom. xv:4.

Thus the great change will be wrought, the proud spirit
broken, men feel their weakness, and the “Desire of all na-
tions will come.” The Royal Seed, both head and body, having
been exalted—Christ first, to prepare a place in the Father’s
house of many mansions; then the saints, gone to be with him
in the house prepared: then will the Lord behold the earth,
looking down from the height of his sanctuary, and hearing the
groaning of the prisoner, deliverance will come. “When the
people are gathered together and the kingdoms to serve the
Lord.” (Ps. cii.:19-22.) Thus in due time, though it has not
been at any time in the past, Christ will be the consolation
of all nations. J. H. P.

A BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE

The Bible may be compared to a magnificent edifice that
took seventeen centuries to build. Its architect and builder
is God. Like this beautiful world, the work of the same
Author, it bears on it everywhere the impress of a divine
hand, This majestic temple contains sixty-six chambers of
unequal size—the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testa-
ments. Each of its 31,173 verses is a stone, a beam, a panel
ef the building, which is a temple more glorious by far than
that of Solomon or of Zerubbabel, with their hewn stones from
I.ebanon, their pillars of cedar, their doors of olive, their
Noors, walls. and ceiling overlaid with fine gold of Parodim,
their holy places. their courts, their porticoes and gates. Would
vou have fellowship with the Father? You will be sure to find
him within the precincts of his holy house. Shall we take ad-
vantage of the King’s permission and step inside? We ap-
proach by the beautiful Garden of Eden, with its innocent
flowers, its groves and lucid streams. The first of the build-
ings, that of highest antiquity, bears the name of the Chambers
of Law and Justice. These are five in number—the Books of
Moses. One of these is a sort of vestibule to the others, and
resembles a Jong gallery hung with portraits and piccorial
~cenes of surprising interest—mementoes of persons and events
that had place before a stone of the huilding was laid: sich
figures as those of Abel and Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Haar,
sarah, Jacob, Kksau, and Joseph; and such scenes as Paraclise
and the Flood, the departure from Ur of the Chaldees, the
tent-door of Mamre, the flaming cities of the plain, the offer-
ings of Isaac, Rebecca at the well, and the Governor of Egypt
“ecping over the neck of his brethren.

Thence we pass through an extensive range of imposing
apartments—-the Chambers of Historic Record. These com
prise the Library of the edifice, and in them are laid up the
Church’s archives for more than a thousand years. These
rooms are twelve in number, and stretch from Joshua to
Esther.

Then we come to a wide space called the Gymnasium of
the building, or the saints’ exercising ground—the Book of
Job. Entering at the right we find ourselves in the Music Gal-
lery of the Psalms, the orchestra of the house, where dwell all
the sons and daughters of song, with cymbal, trumpet, psaltery
and harp. Issuing thence we pass at once into the Chamber
of Commerce—the Book of Proverbs; not far from which is
the Penitentiary of the place, where sorrowful bankrupts and
other defaulters may remain for a time with profit—the Book
of Ecclesiastes.

A little further on we enter into a tiny parlor in the midst
of larger rooms—the Chamber of Sympathy with Mourners—
the Book of Lamentations. Interspersed among all these the
eye is regaled with such delightful conservatories of flowers as
the Books of Ruth and of the Song of Solomon. And next we
come to a noble suite of lofty apartments, some of which are
of great capacity, and are laid out with extraordinary splendor
——no less than seventeen in number. These are the Halls of
Ancient Prophecy, and follow in grand succession from Isaiah
to Malachi.

Thence we pass to the portion of the edifice of more modern
construction, and we enter four spacious chambers of peculiar
beauty. These are of marble fairer far than was ever taken

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ZION’S

DECEMB&R, 1879

from the quarries of Paros or Carrara—chambers of which one
knows not whether the more to admire the simplicity or the
exquisite finish. At once the walls arrest us. On them we
see not golden relief of palm-trees, lilies, pomegranates, and
cherubim; but four full-length portraits of the Lord of the
building himself, drawn by the holy Spirit’s inimitable hand.
These are the Books of the four Evangelists. Stepping on-
ward our ears are saluted by the loud sounds of machinery in
motion; and entering a long apartment, we find ourselves face
to face with wheels, and shafts, and cranks, and pinions, whose
motive power is above and out of sight, and which will bring
on changes all the world over. This is the Chamber of
Celestial Mechanics—the great work-room of the building—
the book of Acts.

Leaving it, we are conducted into the stately Halls of the
Apostolic Epistles, no fewer than twenty-one in range. The
golden doors of fourteen of these are inscribed with the honor-
able name of the Apostle to the Gentiles, those of the seven
others with the names of James, Peter, John, and Jude.
Within these halls the choicest treasures of the Lord are stored.

WATCH TOWER

(6-8)

And last of all we arrive at that mysterious gallery where
brilliant lights and dark shadows so curiously interchange, and
where, in sublime emblems, the history of the Church of Jesus
is unveiled till the Bridegroom come—the grand Apocalypse.
And now we have reached the utmost extremity of the build-
ing. Let us step out on the projecting balcony and look
abroad:

Yonder, beneath us, is a fair meadow, through which the
pure River of the Water of Life is winding its way; on either
side of it stands the Tree of Life, with its twelve manner of
fruits and its beautiful leaves for the healing of the nations.
And in the distance, high on the summit of the Everlasting
Hills, the city, all of gold, bathed in light and quivering with
glory—the New Jerusalem; its walls are of jasper, its founda-
tions of precious stones, its angel-guarded gates of pearl—the
city that needs no sun, no moon, “for the glory of God doth
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

Oh, let us make this beloved house OUR HOME!

Lord, “open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous
things out of thy law.”—Selected.

BIBLE CLASS DEPARTMENT

THE LORDSHIP OF OHRIST
A BIBLE READING

Lord signifies master, ruler, governor. Lordship signifies
dominion, power, authority. These definitions are related to
each other and to the subject.

Husband is also a definition of Lord. The Anglo-Saxon
word, Hlaford, from which our English word Lord is derived
signifies Breadkeeper, and is applied to one who has the gen-
eral care over, and control of a family. The title of Lord thus
applied to Jesus Christ is expressive of a glorious fullness of
power and love.

Bible students have doubtless been impressed with the
numerous applications of this term to Christ in the New Testa-
ment. Familiar phrases applicable to Christ: “Lord of the
Sabbath.” ( Mark ii. 28.) “Lord and Christ.” (Acts ii.
36.) “Lord of glory.” (1 Cor. ii8.) “Lord from Heaven.” (1
Cor. xv. 47). ‘One Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. viii. 6.) “One
Lord, one faith and one baptism.”—Epnh. iv. 5.

I. “He is Lord of dead and living.” (Rom. xiv. 7, 9.)
“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to him-
self. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether
we die we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die,
we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died and rose
and revived, that he might be Lord, both of the dead and liv-
ing.”

1 The fact is stated: “Christ is Lord of both living and
dead.”

2 How he became Lord; By death and resurrection.

3 Our responsibility: Being his we ought to obey him.

The reference in this text is to Christians. Christ died for
all, and therefore has a claim upon the obedience of all. A
Christian is one that recognizes the claims and yields obedience.
Why should any one say, in the face of so plain a statement,
that Christ has nothing to do with the dead but only with the
living? “Both of the dead and living.”

II. “He is Lord of Jew and Gentile.” (Acts x. 34, 36.)
Then Peter opened his mouth and said, “Of a truth I per-
ceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation
he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted
with him .... preaching peace by Jesus Christ: he is
Lord of ALL.”

The equality of Jew and Gentile under the Gospel was hard
for Peter to learn. He was convinced by the vision of the un-
clean beasts, and the voice: ““‘What God hath cleansed that call
not thou common.” Ver. xv. “There is no difference between
the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all, is rich
unto all that call upon him.” (Rom. x. 12.) Here, as Joseph,
Christ is the bountiful Breadgiver.

III. He is Lord of angels as well as men. “All power is
given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Matt. xxviii. 18.
“Wherefore (in consequence of his condescension and obedience
unto death) God also hath highly exalted him, and given him
a name [official position] which is above every name, that at
the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven,
[angels] and in earth [living men] and under the earth; [dead
men] and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord to the glory of God the Father.”—Phil. ii. 9, 11.

He who honors the Son honors the Father, and according
to this passage whoever denies Christ’s lordship over angels
and both living and dead men dishonors the Father.

“Being made so much better than the angels as he hath
by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they ....
and again... . he saith. Let all the angels of God worship

him.” (Heb. i. 4, 6.) They are his servants; therefore he is
their Lord. There is a clear contrast between Moses and Christ
as mediators of the two covenants. Under the old covenant,
Moses received the law from God through angels; therefore
the angels were superior to Moses; (Acts vii. 53 and Gal, iii.
19.) but in this dispensation Christ controls the angels, and
under his loving administration they are ministering spirits to
the heirs of salvation. Heb. i. 14.

IV. As Lord he is the Great Teacher, Leader and Com-
mander. “Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peo-
ple, a leader and commander to the people.” Isa. lv. 4. “All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye THERE-
FORE and teach all nations, baptizing them .... teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
Matt. xxvili. 18, 20. As Leader he is both our example in
the life of obedience, and our Forerunner in the order of de-
velopment, from the natural to the spiritual. The obedience
is our work, the spiritual is our reward. A great encourage-
ment: He who has all power has said: “He that believeth and
is baptized SHALL BE SAVED.” A serious warning: The same
Lord has said: “He that believeth not SHALL BE CONDEMNED.”

V. He has all power physical and spiritual. As often ex-
pressed, power over the body as well as the soul. Many be-
lieving the latter are too apt to exclude the former. As a
Healer he confirms his word and establishes his authority. “Lo
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age.” Matt.
xxviii. 20. “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them
he was received up into heaven .... and they went forth
and preached the word everywhere, the Lord working with
them confirming the word with signs following.” Mark xvi.
19, 20.

By whatever means the apostles confirmed the word, it was
by the power of the Lord Jesus working with them or the
above scripture has no force. Examples of confirmation br
healing diseases: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
rise up and walk, and he took him by the right hand and lifted
him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received
strength.” Acts iii. 6, 7. The case is the man, lame from his
birth, who sat at the gate of the temple, called Beautiful. And
Peter said: “Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole, arise and
make thy bed. And he arose immediately. And aljl that dwelt
at Lydda and Saron saw him and turned to the Lord.” Acts
ix. 34, 35. Bear in mind Christ is Lord. They turned to him,
because these things were done by his authority and power.

Examples of confirmation by the destruction of life are
given us in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. “And great
fear came upon all the church and upon as many as heard
these things.” “And believers were the more added to the
Lord, multitudes of both men and women.” Acts v. 11, 14.

Healing is the Lord’s usual method, but the lordship of
Christ is illustrated by his power over life, either to kill or
to make alive. Examples of confirmation by raising the dead.
Raising the dead is the climax of physical healing; the power
which can do the one can do the other.

“But Peter put them all forth and kneeled down and
prayed; and turning him to the body, said: Tabitha, arise. And
she opened her eyes and sat up, and .... he presented her
alive,....and many believcd on the Lord.” Acts ix:40-42.
The case is very clear, and that the Lord’s agency is recognized
by the people is clear, because of their turning to him in conse-
quence. He prayed to the Father, doubtless; no other praver

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(8) ZION’S WATCH TOWER

seems to be scriptural; but had Peter neglected Christ’s teach-
ing—‘“Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will
do it,’ we cannot suppose his prayer would have been answered.

Another case: “Eutychus .... fell down from the third
loft and was taken up DEAD. And Paul went down, and fell on
him, and embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves; for his
life is in him. .... And they brought the young man ALIVE,
and were not a little comforted.”—Acts xx:9-12.

His life was restored, by a similar method to that used
by Elijah in raising the widow’s son (1 Kings xvii:17-23) ;
and Elisha raising the Shunamite’s son (2 Kings iv:34, 35.)

That Christ has power to restore natural life, is not only
clear by virtue of his lordship, but by these examples. Power
is a cause to produce results; if never exercised, it would at
least be vain. These are samples and assurances of the com-
ing restitution of all.

VI. His power over mankind is secured by the Ransom.

Def.—Ransom (verb), to recover by paying the price.

Ransom (noun), the price paid for recovery.

The ransom has relation to the thing bought as its equiva-
lent. Note the value of Christ’s death. “There is one God, and
one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesuc,
who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time.”
1 Tim. ii:5, 6. Human for human is the legal ransom. He be-
came a man that he might “give his life (Gr., psuchee—the
natural life) a ransom for many.” Matt. xx:28. It was the
human life. “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than
the angels, for the suffering of death; .... that he by the
grace of God might taste death for every man.” Heb. ii:9.

“He took not the nature of angels, (if he had done so he
could not have died—Luke xx:36), but he took on him the seed
of Abraham.” Ver. 16.

This enabled him both to sympathize with and to redeem.
“Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself took part of the same, (not that he might die
for himself, as one of us, but) that through death he might

PIttspurcH, Pa.

destroy .... the devil and deliver” from death those who,
while they lived, were afraid to die. (See verses 14, 15.)

It was not the preexistent life, but “A body hast thou pre-
pared me..... Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. .... By
the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb. x:5-10.) “Since by
man [Adam] came death, by man [Christ] came also the res-
urrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. xv:21, 22.) The
making “alive” of the 22nd is clearly the raising “‘of the dead”
of the 21st.

“I am he that liveth and was dead .... and have the
keys of Hades and of death.” (Rev. i:18.) Hades is the state
of natural death, and the key is the symbol of power.

VII. As Lord, Christ gives immortality. This is the
greatest life and work. All the lesser steps have reference to
this great outcome.

“The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last
Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (1 Cor. xv:45.)
Adam gives the natural body, which is mortal; Christ gives
the spiritual body, which is immortal. (See context.)

“I give unto them eternal life.” (John x:28.) He hath
“abolished death (by the ransom) and brought LIFE AND
IMMORTALITY to light.” (2 Tim. 1:10.) He gives life to all,
“And became the author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him.” Heb. v:9.

Truly Christ is Lord of all—angels, men, condition and
things.—God in Christ is our Redeemer and Saviour. Our
dependence is well established by the word.

He has the highest claims on our hearts and lives, on ac-
count of the ransom paid, and the glorious expression of
his love in this and all else he does for us.

May a “patient continuance in well doing” secure for us
the “glory and honor and immortality,” which he has prom-
ised.—Rom. ii:7. J. H. P.

QUESTIONS OF CORRESPONDENTS

Answers by the Editor.

QuEs. I see no reference to the resurrection of the natural
man, in a natural body in 1 Cor. xv. Does it not seem to treat
only of the raising of saints—spiritua] bodies?

Ans. In 1 Cor. xv. 22, Paul restates what he has every-
where affirmed, viz. That as by Adam’s disobedience the race
became dead, so by Christ’s obedience all were in God’s sight
justified to live again, and in his due time, they will be deliv-
ered from death’s dominion and restored to perfect life. He
lays down the general proposition or truth that, “as in Adam
all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive, but every
man in his own order.” This indicates that several resurrec-
tions may take place before all are raised. Paul does not
specify how many orders or companies there will be.

He was writing to believers and informs them, that their
resurrection is the first order “Afterward they that are Christ’s
at his parousia [presence.]” “Then the end.” (The word
cometh is not in the Greek) The thought is: “Then, i. e. after
all the companies or orders of the dead are raised, etc.—
when “all are made alive,” then, having rescued man from
his fallen condition and having destroyed the last enemy death,
by releasing mankind from his bondage, the work which the
Father gave him to do is accomplished, i. e., “reconciling the
world,” having put down all rule and power opposed to the
Father, then will he deliver up the kingdom to God even the
Father; then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him.”
—Ver. 28

Ques. Does not Rev. xx. 4, 6, seem to ignore any but the
two classes, viz: the blessed and holy of the first resurrection,
and the rest of the dead who live not until the thousand years
are finished? Now where do we find the great restitution class
mentioned in these two chapters?

Ans. This text certainly does emphatically contradict the
idea of the various orders of resurrection during the (1000
years) Millennial age; and not only so but it also contradicts
all seriptures which teach—“a restitution of all things, which
God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets ;” and
it precludes the idea of “all men being saved [from death]
and coming to a knowledge of the truth”; and it would prevent
its being “testified in due time [to all] that Jesus Christ gave
himself a ransom for all.” (Tim. ii. 6) Verse 4 treats of the
first resurrection, those who reign and live with Christ during

the thousand years. Now, if “the rest of the dead” (outside
the first resurrection) “live not until the thousand years are
finished,” they certainly have no probation, for verses 7 to 10
describe the final winding up of sin and sinners, symbolically
termed a “lake of fire and brimstone” where the symbolic
beast had been cast, &e.

But how about this? If Rev. xx. 5 contradicts the balance
of the Bible what shall we do? This same point troubled me
about eight years ago. I knew not what to think. This text
stood opposed to all thought of restitution and the “blessing
of all the families of the earth” through “The Seed,” Yet I
could not think of discarding it even though the prophets
had said that Sodom, Samaria, Israel, etc., were to be restored
to their “former estate, etc.” I was in this perplexed condi-
tion until I found that the objectionable part of this fifth verse
(the first sentence) is not to be found in three of the oldest
MSS, viz: the “Syriac,” “Sinaitic” and “Vatican.” The Syriac
is the oldest (second century) and the “Sinaitic” the most
authentic and reliable MS. known; written about A. D. 350.
The only ancient MSS. containing this sentence is the ‘“Alex-
andrine.” It is not only less reliable (although recognized as
valuable) but being written about the middle of the fifth cen-
tury, it is less valuable than the more ancient “Sinaitic” and
“Vatican,” because more liable to have its text interpolated
during the century intervening. The last mentioned three
manuscripts are acknowledged by all to be the best GREEK
text extant. The “Syriac” is not so authoritative because
written in the Syriac language.

Upon a careful reading of the context, you will notice that
the connection would not only not be impaired, but positively
improved by the omission of this sentence; read it: ‘““They
lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years: This is the
first resurrection. Blessed,” &c.

When copying was all done by the pen, the transcribers
have, it would appear, frequently made a parer’’ -tic or mar-
ginal note of their thought upon the subje ~gigned to
refresh their memory when reading it again. > notes
were mistaken by subsequent copyists for parts vu. vhe in-
spired text. Another similar interpolation is Jno. xxi. 25,
also omitted in the “Sinaitic” MS. (See article on “The Holy
Bible”—crowded out, will appear in Jan. No.)

PREACHING

Almost all the brethren whose names appear on our list as
regular contributors, the editor, and three others who do not
write for Z1ion’s WATCH TowER, but who are in sympathy and

accord with its teachings, are preaching the good news wher-
ever the Lord of the Harvest opens the way. Requests for
their services may be sent to this office.

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